Last Chance to Breathe
by Pinefur
Summary: More oneshots on cat's deaths. Each chapter is from a cat's point of view before it dies. What were they thinking? Did they regret what they had done? Look up at the sky, and take a last breath. A last chance to live. ...Not on haitus. Sort of.
1. Swiftpaw

**This is this weird new idea I had about the last moments in a cat's life before they died. How did I come up with it? I don't know. But hopefully it will turn out okay. **

**The first is Swiftpaw. **

"Come on," Swiftpaw hissed. "Hurry up!"

Brightpaw padded behind the large black and white tom. She nearly stumbled as she hit a tree root. "Swiftpaw, I'm tired," she complained. "Can we go back? I want to sleep."

"And let Bluestar ignore us forever?" spat Swiftpaw. "She made Cloudtail a warrior, and he hasn't even trained as long as I have! She only did it because _Fireheart_ is his mentor." He hissed the name scornfully.

"But what if those… creatures find us?" Brightpaw mewed, her eyes wide.

Swiftpaw's eyes narrowed. "Then we prove that we are true warriors."

He turned away and stalked forward again without a word. Brightpaw followed him warily. "I really don't think we should be doing this."

"No!" snarled Swiftpaw. "Bluestar can't let us stay apprentices because of who our mentors are! We need to show the Clan that we can defeat whatever is scaring away the prey. Bluestar will _have_ to make us warriors then!" The tom's eyes burned furiously. "So get moving!"

Brightpaw stiffened, then padded next to the tom. Swiftpaw focused on the forest ahead. He raised his head to taste the air quickly. "I don't smell anything. We're near Snakerocks now, I think."

He kept walking. The sky overhead became lighter as the sun started to rise. "Hurry, the dawn patrol might come soon." The tom broke into a run.

Brightpaw nodded hesitantly, and raced forward with him. Suddenly she stopped and hissed. "I-I scented something," the apprentice stammered.

Swiftpaw lifted his muzzle. The stench was faint, but there _was_ something new in the air. "Brightpaw," he murmured. "Do you smell –?"

"Dog!"

Brightpaw's yowl was accompanied by ferocious barking. Swiftpaw skidded to a halt right in front of Snakerocks just as dogs poured from the bushes on either side. "Oh, StarClan! A whole pack!"

The dogs were bigger than any Twoleg pet he had ever seen. Judging by Brightpaw's horrified look she was thinking the same thing.

"I want to go back to camp!" she wailed. She and Swiftpaw both knew it was too late, though. The dogs howled and circled them.

"StarClan, please let the dawn patrol come," Swiftpaw whispered. But they would have just started from camp. There was no way that a patrol could have made it to Snakerocks already.

Then one dog, bigger than the rest, stepped forward. He snarled, and as if on a signal, the pack leapt forward.

"Fight!" Swiftpaw screeched.

The tom slashed out as the dogs came at him, his claws like thorns. The creatures' sharp teeth tore his fur, and for a minute Swiftpaw was lost in the battle. He raked his claws over a dog's pelt, and then blood, his blood, was soaking the ground. It flashed before him like a series of events, the dogs growling, him fighting by instinct. It could have lasted a heartbeat, or an entire moon.

Then Swiftpaw stopped and turned as Brightpaw yowled in agony. He turned just as a dog clawed at her face.

"Brightpaw!" The ginger and white apprentice fell to the ground as Swiftpaw watched, her face bleeding, one eye torn off.

Swiftpaw stared in horror as the dog turned from her to him. He hesitated, and in that heartbeat, a dog leaped and bowled him over. The apprentice looked up into the face of the drooling animal. He snarled defiance at death.

The dog's growl formed harsh, cruel words. "Pack, kill, kill!" It seemed to be laughing at him. The other dogs joined in until it was like a horrible symphony ringing in the tom's ears. Swiftpaw glared at the dog, and slashed up with his claws.

The dog's head came down. Sharp fangs met in his throat. Swiftpaw's snarling wore down.

The sun broke off of the horizon and rose fully into the sky. Swiftpaw watched as his vision blurred. He saw the sky fade like the night was fading, now.

The dawn was blood-red.


	2. Snowkit

Snowkit wasn't ready when the hawk came down.

He didn't hear the other cats yowl at him, didn't see them back away, away from the hole in the burnt canopy that the bird could see through. He was still playing, fighting an imaginary foe. All he knew was that Speckletail was off at the nursery, just for a minute.

And then outstretched talons grabbed him. They sliced at his fur like long, cruel claws. Snowkit screamed as he felt feathers brush him, and then his paws left the ground.

_Hawk!_

_There_ were all the other cats, clustered around the clearing. Warriors and apprentices stared up at him with wide, frantic eyes. They were yowling – what, he didn't know. And then Speckletail emerged from behind the nursery. She howled and launched herself at him. Snowkit couldn't hear, but he could imagine what his mother was yelling.

"_Snowkit!!_"

The queen's claws caught on his fur. He slipped an inch from the hawk's talons. _Come on, mom! Please!_ The bird struggled to stay in the air.

Then he felt the eagle release him with one foot. It scored its claws across Speckletail's face, and the she-cat let go. Snowkit wailed as he rose into the sky, the hawk's talons digging into his skin.

The kit looked down and saw the ThunderClan growing smaller. The flame-colored one, Fireheart, was gaping up at him. Brackenfur, followed by Swiftpaw, ran in the direction the hawk was flying.

Then the camp was gone.

The surrounding trees blocked it from Snowkit's view. He glanced down at the forest and caught a glimpse of a golden-brown coat, Brackenfur.

"Brackenfur!" The kit yowled out, loud for a cat of his size.

The meow sounded distorted, barely understandable. But the warrior comprehended what the little tom meant immediately. Brackenfur looked up, and then his eyes met the kit's. He stopped running. The hawk was too high up.

They stared at each other in a silent vigil.

And then –

Grass, only grass. Wide open moorland. No trees. The forest disappeared from view, and with it, Snowkit's hope.

He stared down. Cats, not ThunderClan, were underneath him, staring up, and then they were gone. Still the hawk flew.

_How far?_

Great gray rocks rose up. The hawk screeched loudly, although the kit didn't hear. It circled over the spot known as Highrocks to those who had been there. Snowkit squirmed in the bird's talons. He didn't know where he was. _What is this place?_

Then suddenly, the claws were gone. Snowkit was released from the hawk's feet. He shrieked as the bird let him go. Cold air rushed up to meet him. Hard stone waited cruelly.

Snowkit closed his ice blue eyes.

He landed next to a hard, twiggy shape, the hawk's nest. It was good he was deaf. If he had heard the sound when he hit the rock, he would have screamed.

He screamed anyway.

Pain like freezing thorns shot through Snowkit's body. His neck bent backward, and then his paws froze, paralyzed.

Tempting darkness was clouding his sight. Snowkit glanced up at the sky. The hawk was spiraling down, its beak open in a fierce call. Talons stretched towards him.

They caught him.

Black, razor-edged feathers drifted across his vision. A whirlpool of relief washed over him as pain flashed, and then faded. And, floating in the center of his view like a speck of an island of blue in the dark, was the blue sky.

Ice blue like his eyes.


	3. Redtail

"Get off of ThunderClan territory, RiverClan!" snarled Redtail.

The ThunderClan deputy stood on Sunningrocks, his tortoiseshell fur bristling with anger. Oakheart, with the other RiverClan cats, faced him with teeth bared. Tigerclaw, Mousefur, Willowpelt and Ravenpaw were right behind Redtail, ready to fight.

"This is RiverClan territory now!" hissed Stonefur, leaping to his deputy's side. The other RiverClan cats murmured agreement.

"Never!" spat Redtail, his ginger tail lashing the air. "Sunningrocks is ours!"

Oakheart sneered. "Not anymore. RiverClan, attack!"

"ThunderClan!" yowled Redtail.

Immediately Sunningrocks was covered with whirling, screeching bodies, clawing frantically at the other Clan's warriors. Redtail leapt at Blackclaw, a smoky black tom, and sunk his claws into the cat's side. Blackclaw snarled and tried to sink his teeth into the warrior's foreleg.

Redtail yowled as Blackclaw bit down. He yanked his leg away and slashed at the tom's face. Blackclaw rose a paw, claws unsheathed, but then Ravenpaw careened into him. The RiverClan cat stumbled and fell over. Redtail gave him a final scratch and turned to Ravenpaw.

"Find a place to hide in!" meowed the deputy. "Stay there until it's safe!" The apprentice nodded and raced away into the forest.

There was a yowl, and Stonefur ran by. Redtail turned to chase him. The ThunderClan deputy jumped onto the blue-gray warrior and prepared to score his claws across the cat's neck.

"No!"

Just as Redtail slashed down at Stonefur, Oakheart slammed into him, sinking his teeth into the tom's scruff, and pulled him off of Stonefur. Stonefur hissed and bolted back towards the river.

Redtail spat at Oakheart. "Are RiverClan warriors unable to fight their own battles?" the tom jeered. He glared at Oakheart, who was much bigger than him.

But the RiverClan deputy didn't attack Redtail. "No ThunderClan cat will _ever_ harm that warrior!" he growled.

Redtail blinked. Then, as Oakheart paused, he leaped at the RiverClan warrior and bowled him over. The cats rolled across Sunningrocks.

With a flash of horror Redtail felt himself going over the edge, down to the river. He reached out and grabbed Oakheart's back paw with a claw. The tom howled as he was dragged under as well.

They landed under a rocky overhang, to Redtail's relief. The river was only a tail length away.

Oakheart spatat him. "ThunderClan fool! I"ll-!"

He was cut short as the rock they were under rumbled. Suddenly a shower of dust came down and the boulder collapsed onto the RiverClan deputy. Redtail's eyes widened as Oakheart screeched. His tail twitched – and then was still.

The tom jumped up, back onto Sunningrocks. A RiverClan she-cat stared at him, preparing to leap, but then she understood what had happened. "Oakheart is dead!" she yowled.

The RiverClan warriors froze, then stopped fighting. They ran back to their territory, wailing. Soon Sunningrocks was quiet.

Redtail hissed in triumph. He ran forward, scenting out the rest of his patrol. "Mousefur! Willowpelt! Tiger-!"

A dark brown tabby leaped at him from the shadows.

"Tigerclaw!"

Tigerclaw pinned down Redtail in a quick movement. His large claws gleamed unnaturally white.

"What are you doing, Tigerclaw? We won the battle!" Redtail's fur was fluffed out in fright.

"It's my turn to be deputy, Redtail," snarled the tom. He opened his jaws.

"Stop! I'm your deputy! I order you to-!" He was cut off as Tigerclaw sank his teeth into his throat.

Tigerclaw sat back, satisfied, as warm blood rushed from Redtail's throat. The deputy gurgled as it spilled across his chest. "Tiger…claw," he gasped, looking up at the tabby. Dark brown fur filled his vision, seeping into inviting black.

Mud brown, flooded with red.


	4. Spottedleaf

**Here's Spottedleaf! Yay for Spottedleaf! Lots of people wanted her, so here she is! If you suggest a cat for another chapter, please have it be a cat that their death wasn't written in the books. For example, everyone knows exactly how Tigerstar died, but not how Runningwind or Brindleface did (I'm doing them later).**

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Spottedleaf picked up a strong smelling leaf and placed it on the other side of the medicine cat den where Smallear was waiting. Patiently the tortoiseshell rubbed smashed berries into his pads, which were cracked and hurting him. Then the she-cat wrapped the elder's paws in the bitter leaf shreds.

"That hurts," the old tom complained.

"It would hurt more if your pads became infected," snapped Spottedleaf. "You can go back to the elder's den now. Just stay off of your paws for a while."

Smallear mumbled something and staggered back to the elder's den.

Spottedleaf sighed in relief when he was gone. She knew that she was supposed to treat every cat equally, but the cranky tom was just so annoying. _Not as annoying and awful as ShadowClan, though, _Spottedleaf mused, thinking of Brokenstar's outrageous demands at the last Gathering.

That ShadowClan leader was so insane! How dare he drive WindClan away, disrupting the peace that StarClan had created! Spottedleaf felt only disgust when she thought of that cruel, murderous tom. She could nearly smell that horrible ShadowClan stench just thinking of him!

She _could _smell it, actually. Spottedleaf glanced around, puzzled. ShadowClan? At the ThunderClan camp? She raised her muzzle, and a breeze blew the odor right at her.

The scent of ShadowClan was strong in Spottedleaf's face. She tasted the air again, just to make sure, and unsheathed her claws. They scraped against the soft dirt in the medicine cat's den and her tail flicked as she became sure of it.

_A ShadowClan invasion!_

Spottedleaf hissed. What were those mousebrains thinking? She stepped out of the small clearing and looked around. Should she tell Bluestar? No, there was only one ShadowClan warrior, she could tell by the smell, although a single ShadowClan cat reeked enough to be five normal ones. Anyway, there was Firepaw, going into Bluestar's den. Spottedleaf shrugged. She really shouldn't interrupt when he and Bluestar were talking, and anyway, she could handle one warrior, especially when it was a stupid ShadowClan tom. It wasn't as though medicine cats couldn't fight at all.

The tortoiseshell she-cat sniffed the air and pinpointed the ShadowClan warrior just outside the camp wall, near the nursery. Spottedleaf's eyes narrowed. Was the crazy furball trying to steal kits?

She padded over to the nursery. The camp wall was suspiciously strained-looking, as though a cat had been pushing at it.

Suddenly the twigs snapped and a gray tom broke through. Spottedleaf unsheathed her claws. _Clawface!_

The warrior stared down at her, then grinned in a way that made Spottedleaf's blood turn to ice. "And what a pretty little ThunderClan she-cat you are too," he growled, and lunged for her throat.

Spottedleaf ducked, and he crashed into the side of the nursery. The medicine cat spun around and slashed at the tom with razor sharp claws. They cut through his fur to flesh and Spottedleaf felt the satisfaction of seeing bright red seeping through his pelt.

Clawface snarled and whipped out with huge paws. Spottedleaf jumped to the side, but one of them caught her muzzle and she lost her balance. Immediately Clawface stunned her with a quick blow and tore into the nursery.

Unluckily there were no queens in it, but there were plenty of kits. The gray tom purred in a menacing way, and started picking up random kits in his teeth, not bothering to make sure he wasn't hurting them.

Spottedleaf struggled to her feet, but then the ShadowClan warrior pushed back out of the hole in the den. He held Frostfur's thrashing, squealing kits in his mouth, and dumped then through the break in the camp wall.

Another ShadowClan scent moved forward, and Spottedleaf recognized it as Blackfoot. She started to yowl for help, but as the ShadowClan deputy carried the wailing kits away Clawface pushed her to the ground again.

"You've seen too much," he spat. "ThunderClan cats are too nosy." He unsheathed his claws against the back of her neck. "So we can't let you tell any cat, of course." He sounded amused now, glad to spill blood, and the threat came out as a kind of twisted, demented purr.

Spottedleaf wriggled under his grasp. "Let… go!" She heaved up with her back legs, and Clawface was nearly thrown from her back. But he still held on, and his talons pressed harder into her neck.

The medicine cat gasped, and spots whirled in front of her eyes as Clawface crushed her breath out of her lungs. She looked in front of her, hardly understanding what she saw, and then suddenly the ThunderClan she-cat could see a small sprout growing by the camp wall, a tiny speck of green against gray and brown. It had small, smooth leaves and a fragile lime colored stem. A single blossom waited unopened on the top. Spottedleaf stopped struggling and filled her mind with the image of that small plant.

Then claws cut through her fur and into the back of her throat. Spottedleaf cried out, and it came as a gurgle on blood. She tried to lash out, but couldn't move, and Clawface was hissing in savage triumph. He disappeared through the hole in the wall, and his scent faded as well as Blackfoot's and the kits'.

Spottedleaf gasped, and stretched out her paws. They were stained red. She closed her eyes, letting the pain fade as darkness took over. It was so close, so tempting to fall into that blackness.

It started to rain, as though all of StarClan was weeping. The tortoiseshell opened her eyes then. They fixed on the unopened bud. She gave herself to the flower as the shadows appeared in her sight, willing it to grow.

Two amber eyes glowed, then faded in nothing.

For a minute, there was silence.

Then-

"Spottedleaf!"

She didn't hear Tigerclaw's yowl, or the ThunderClan cats' wails as they clustered around her. Didn't feel herself being pulled to the center of the camp, where friends sat in disbelief with shock and sorrow mingling in their eyes. They had the vigil in silence as the rain poured down around them.

Unnoticed at the edge of the camp, a flower bloomed into existence.

**Sorry that was a strange ending, with the flower thing. **

**But I never understood in the first book exactly how Clawface got into the camp, stole the kits, and killed Spottedleaf without any cat noticing.**

**Please review!! **


	5. Brindleface

**Thank you to all the reviewers! I really appreciate the comments and stuff… etc **

**Anyway, this is Brindleface, and next is Runningwind and then Mudclaw! Lots of people wanted Mudclaw.**

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Brindleface stopped at the top of the ravine and surveyed the forest.

Her tail flicked back and forth anxiously. She stopped it, trying to ignore the bristling fur on her shoulders and neck. Why was she feeling so worried? It was a normal day. The Clan was fine… well, there were the dogs, of course. But she would hear them or smell them from a mile away. The queen's ears twitched, and she calmed herself down. _Good day to hunt_, she thought, tasting the air.

The scent of mouse was strong, very strong. Brindleface padded forward stealthily, hearing the soft rustle of leaves where the mouse sat, nibbling at a seed. She paused, crouched, and sprang. The mouse squealed and dove for cover, but Brindleface was on top of it, and she bit it swiftly in the back of the neck.

Scraping earth over the fresh-kill, Brindleface stalked forward deeper into ThunderClan territory. This was good; with luck she could get lots of prey before she needed to get back to camp. So why was she so uneasy? The sky was blue, the air was fresh… she cocked her head to one side. Still the she-cat felt as though something bad was going to happen.

_Probably the dogs are making you nervous_, she thought. Who wouldn't be a bit scared of dogs, even though they were big and loud and mousebrained?

Suddenly another scent swept in on the breeze. Brindleface widened her eyes in surprise. Rabbit! And lots of them! This was surprising; usually rabbits stayed on WindClan territory, and only occasionally were plentiful in ThunderClan land.

Brindleface crept forward to where she scented the rabbits. She padded slowly and quietly through the undergrowth. There, they were near, very near, just behind this tree, most likely.

Abruptly she lifted her head in confusion. There was one more smell now, the sharp tang of blood. Brindleface crouched down and looked around the tree.

There was a rabbit lying in a pool of blood.

Brindleface gasped. Was another Clan hunting here? If so, why hadn't they taken the prey back? Suspicions entered her mind. Was it a trap?

Cautiously she placed one paw towards the rabbit. There was no sound from the rest of the forest. Warily she took another step, and then another. Then she raced over to the dead prey.

It was nearly crowfood by now, but the scent of blood was strong and fresh. Brindleface tasted the air more deeply. It was hard to tell, with the blood, but underneath was another stench, the smell of… ShadowClan!! It was Tigerstar, probably!

Brindleface stood quickly. She needed to get back to camp and warn Bluestar! She hesitated. Or maybe Fireheart. Bluestar seemed to be having a rough time since she had discovered Tigerstar's plot to kill her.

Then the scent of another rabbit blew to her muzzle. Brindleface paused. Maybe she should see how far the wasted prey went. The she-cat turned and ran toward the odor.

She bolted through the undergrowth. Yes, here was another rabbit, and another farther on… Great StarClan, what was Tigerstar playing at? The queen kept running, then skidded to a halt.

Snakerocks! The dogs! She gasped and felt dizzy. The trail led to the dogs!

A horrible thought entered her mind. What if the trail didn't lead them to the dogs? What if it led the dogs to the cats?

She started running back along the rabbit trail, going as fast as she could manage. The she-cat swept back her buried mouse without a second thought. She was right, the trail led closer and closer to camp!

Suddenly she hesitated, and tumbled into the dirt. There was no trail now? How could that be? She was near the camp, but wouldn't Tigerstar want to be sure that the dogs got to the camp?

Then a dark brown shape hurtled out of the trees and careened into her.

Brindleface yowled and crashed into the ground, hoping that some cat would hear her. She wriggled as a strong shape pinned her down.

"Tigerstar!"

The tom sneered at her. "Oh, the great queen, Brindleface!"

Brindleface hissed and tried to claw at his face. "Traitor!"

The brown tabby avoided her blows easily. "Traitor? Really? I'm sorry you think that." His teeth glinted in the sunlight.

"I don't think that, I _know_ that!" the she-cat screeched.

Tigerstar unsheathed his claws. "I'm afraid you've seen too much."

"I've seen enough to know you're up to no good, and I'm going to tell the Clan!"

"I'm sorry, that can't be done." Tigerstar pressed his claws against her neck.

Brindleface struggled to get away. "What's at the end of the trail," she blurted suddenly. "Won't it lead all the way to camp?"

"Oh yes!" Tigerstar purred. The purr was a menacing sound.

The queen shuddered, afraid. "So what's at the end of the trail?" she ventured.

The ShadowClan tom laughed. Brindleface yowled, and sharp talons slashed through her neck. She clawed the ground in desperation, feeling her blood seep into it, knowing that the Clan would never find the trail and get rid of it, not until it was too late…

Tigerstar growled and clawed her side again, just to give her more agony. Brindleface squirmed on the ground, wailing. How could no cat hear her? But still no warriors came to stop Tigerstar.

The tabby shoved her along the ground, stopping at a point near the ravine. "Here's good enough," he scoffed. "The dogs will be along soon, I think." Purring he turned away. Then he looked back. "I believe you asked a question,' he meowed. "You wanted to know what would be at the end of the trail. Well, I'll say what."

Brindleface didn't answer. Black was seeping into her vision, and it took the pain away. She wanted to sink into that, to forget… It was warm and dark.

Tigerstar laughed again. "You."

And then it was black, like night, like a raven's feather was in front of her eyes. It was nice. And safe.

And it was filled with stars.


	6. Runningwind

"Let's try the ShadowClan side," suggested Mousefur.

Runningwind glanced at her, nodded, then looked to Thornpaw. Mousefur's apprentice hissed. "ShadowClan!" His tail lashed at the air, and he clawed at a falling leaf in a mock battle.

"Good, practice for meeting ShadowClan in combat," Runningwind meowed. Thornpaw twisted around the leaf and slashed it in half neatly. "You're coming along nicely with your fighting skills."

Thornpaw purred, and Mousefur flipped her tail. "It's true," she mewed, her voice full of pride for her apprentice. "Well, we need to patrol the ShadowClan border. We've already checked RiverClan." She padded off through the trees, heading toward the Thunderpath.

Runningwind let Thornpaw go ahead of him, then continued into the forest and away from the river. He sniffed the air confidently, enjoying the warm scents of prey and the fresh smell of the breeze.

"We'll see how good your hunting skills are," Mousefur decided as she stopped in a small clearing between some bramble bushes. Her apprentice nodded and tasted the wind. His eyes widened and he motioned to a place under some thick undergrowth.

Runningwind pinpointed the creature underneath the foliage. It was a large squirrel, chewing away at a nut. He looked at Thornpaw and flicked his ears. The golden-brown tom crept forward, light on his paws, towards the slight rustling. He crouched back, then sprang onto the prey. The squirrel squealed once, then lay still under his paws.

Thornpaw dragged the fresh-kill from the bush. He buried it under a pile of earth and leaves, then glanced up to see what his mentor had to say.

"Good job!" Mousefur purred.

"I killed it too late, though, didn't I?" the apprentice mewed. "I let it squeak." He didn't sound sorry, he sounded like he wanted to hear the truth and learn how to fix the problem.

"Well, only by a heartbeat," Runningwind put in. "Your stalk is perfect, though."

Thornpaw looked at the warrior gratefully. "Thanks."

"We can get that squirrel on the way back, then," Mousefur meowed. "Come on, let's finish patrolling, and then we can hunt a bit more. The Clan needs fresh-kill."

Runningwind and Thornpaw followed her out of the clearing and through the forest once more. A new scent blew on the breeze now, the smell of Twoleg monsters and the rough black ground that covered the Thunderpath. Runningwind hissed as the roar of the monsters came closer with every pawstep.

Mousefur halted beside the Thunderpath. ShadowClan scent drifted lazily over the road, mixing with the monsters' harsh tang to create a foul odor. Thornpaw wrinkled his nose. "Ugh, ShadowClan!"

"Shh!" warned his mentor suddenly. She was staring over the Thunderpath, to ShadowClan territory. Runningwind followed her gaze, but he could see nothing on the other side.

"What is it?" he whispered.

"I thought I saw…" Mousefur shook her head. "Never mind." Abruptly she padded swiftly back towards the forest. "We should get back to camp." Runningwind thought she sounded a bit too urgent. His eyes met Thornpaw's, and he could see the apprentice was thinking the same thing.

"Um… right, then," the tabby mewed. "Back to-."

A loud screeching cut him off. Frantically the warrior spun around to feel a black shape slam into him. Runningwind heard Thornpaw's yowl as he tumbled into the dust.

The warrior stared up into menacing blue eyes. The cat pinning him down had sleek black fur, and the stench of crowfood rolled off of him. "Rouge!" Runningwind snarled. He kicked up with his hind paws. They hit the cat's belly and he howled loosening his grip. Runningwind wriggled away from him and slashed at his face. The rouge spat and backed away.

Runningwind looked around for Thornpaw and Mousefur. The wiry brown she-cat was grappling with a sturdy gray loner. The ThunderClan queen hissed and clawed at her opponent.

"Runningwind!" Runningwind turned to see Thornpaw bounding over. "There's too many of them!" He was right; more rouges were creeping from the trees and bushes.

He faced Thornpaw. "Get back to camp! Warn them, bring a patrol!" The apprentice nodded and darted off into the trees.

A rouge spat and leaped after the young tom, but Runningwind jumped forward and intercepted the loner's bound. He careened into the cat's side and slashed angrily at her. She snarled, her eyes filled with hate, and bit his shoulder. The rouge pushed him to the ground, and raised her paw with claws unsheathed. Runningwind closed his eyes.

Suddenly the she-cat was pulled off of him. She yowled and spun around, but Mousefur clawed her muzzle and she ran off.

"Run!" Mousefur hissed. "Hurry, back to camp!" The two warriors took off into the forest. Furious screeches showed that the loners were following.

Runningwind bolted ahead, swiftly dashing through the trees. Mousefur was a tail length behind him, panting hard.

Unexpectedly a tree root rose up ahead. Runningwind crashed into it and tripped, sliding onto the ground. Mousefur darted past, not even noticing in her haste to get away from the rouges. The tom didn't blame her; he might have done the same thing if their places were switched.

For a moment the thought that the pursuing cats would go by. But then one scented the air and turned to where he lay on the ground, struggling to stand. "Get him!"

Runningwind growled and lashed out with a forepaw, but a tom grabbed his scruff from behind and yanked him back toward the Thunderpath. The other loners helped drag him along the dusty ground.

They dropped the warrior by the hard black path. Runningwind stood shakily, and they hissed at him. He wondered why they didn't just kill him right there.

Then the circle of rouges parted, and a huge dark brown tabby padded forward. Runningwind's eyes widened. "Tigerclaw!" he snarled.

The tabby spat at him. "How nice, a brave and loyal ThunderClan cat!" he sneered. "You're all so _honorable_." He unsheathed his claws.

Runningwind did the same, scraping his talons against the dirt. "That's because we're faithful to our Clan," he screeched. "Unlike you, you mangy lying furball!"

The warrior leaped at Tigerclaw. The tom narrowed his eyes as Runningwind slammed into him, unprepared for the attack. For a heartbeat the ThunderClan tom had an advantage, and he bit down into the traitor's fur.

But Tigerclaw was stronger, and bigger. After a minute he flipped over and pinned Runningwind down. The tabby jeered at him. "See how brave you are now, Runningwind!" And he slashed down.

Runningwind jerked as claws ripped through his throat, and Tigerclaw slipped away, growling, into the forest. The rouges scoffed Runningwind and followed the large tom away from the Thunderpath. Runningwind knew that they would be ready to fight- and kill – the ThunderClan warriors who came after him, and he snarled defiance one last time.

He closed his eyes.

A heartbeat later they were open again, glazed over with pain. Blood poured onto the ground and he looked up in fear as a white shape loomed over him. ShadowClan! A small tom named Whitethroat! Runningwind clawed up, and he felt savage triumph as Whitethroat fell back.

Now the white was all around him, like snow, and he jerked once. It was invading his vision, a glowing color of light. Bright white contrasted the black of the Thunderpath, the red of his blood, the blue of the sky.

Then it was all gone, into a whirlpool of white.


	7. Mudclaw

**Me: This chapter was fun to write (sorry its so long) because I didn't think Hawkfrost was evil until he was being really weird in Sunset, so it was interesting to write about him being mean. I thought Hawkfrost was innocent! Mean Hawkfrost! Why'd you have to go and betray everyone?**

**Hawkfrost: I dunno.**

**Me: Bad kitty!**

**Hawkfrost: Tigerstar made me! It's his fault!**

**Me: You shouldn't have listened! Say you're sorry!**

**Hawkfrost: No!**

**Me: Do it NOW! unsheathes claws**

**Hawkfrost: Okay, I'm sorry! goes off into a corner**

**Me: Great StarClan… Huh? What, people are still reading this? Oh, sorry, I should probably start the chapter now.**

* * *

Mudclaw shook water from his fur and shivered as he crept onto the island. His mottled dark brown pelt glistened as the sun sank lower into the sky. The tom sheltered underneath one of the trees. Where was Hawkfrost?

A sound from the shore made him glance up. There, swimming across the lake with strongly churning paws, was Hawkfrost. The RiverClan warrior clambered onto the dirt and padded over to Mudclaw, not even bothering to shake the water away.

"You said it was important," he meowed coolly. "It was hard to get away from camp, so make it worth my time."

Mudclaw snarled. "I brought you here to tell you that tonight is the time."

Hawkfrost flicked his tail. "And you want my help?"

"Yes. When the sun sets I am taking the cats who follow me to kill Onewhisker and take my rightful place as Mudstar, the leader of WindClan." Mudclaw paced around a tree. "You said you would bring some of RiverClan and ShadowClan, those who agree with me."

"And what will you give me for it?" Hawkfrost's narrowed ice blue eyes never left Mudclaw.

"I'll make you deputy of WindClan."

"Deputy? WindClan?" Now Hawkfrost sounded surprised and confused. "But… I'm from RiverClan! I couldn't…"

"So?" spat Mudclaw. "You want the power. With WindClan under your control you can easily take over RiverClan. That's what you want, isn't it?"

Hawkfrost was silent, pondering over this new prospect.

"Then help me," continued the WindClan tabby. "Bring the cats to WindClan territory at sunset, just outside the hollow dip we're using as a camp." He spun around, not waiting for an answer. No matter what Hawkfrost decided to do, Mudclaw would fight StarClan themselves to get his true leadership. The tom dove into the water, ignoring the uncomfortable freezing feeling in his paws, and swam towards WindClan land.

* * *

Mudclaw sat outside the camp as the sky turned into a frenzy of reds and purples. It was sunset, and still no sign of RiverClan or ShadowClan showed anywhere near the territory. He flicked his tail back and forth anxiously. Even if Hawkfrost didn't come, at least he still had some warriors on his side. All he had to do was get close enough to Onewhisker to kill him…

A movement caught his eye. Mudclaw's head whipped around as a group of cats climbed the hills. It was hard to see them in the dimming light, which was just as well. That meant that none of Onewhisker's friends could see them, either.

Mudclaw waited for the patrol to come near, then he stood and padded the rest of the way towards them. Hawkfrost lead the group warily. Behind him were Blackclaw, Swallowtail and Silverflash from RiverClan, and from ShadowClan, Cedarheart, Rowanclaw and Oakfur. Mudclaw nodded to the cats. Since he had Webfoot, Tornear, Nightcloud and Darknight on his side from within WindClan, there would be enough cats to take over.

"Good," he meowed as the patrol stopped. Hawkfrost said nothing, but his ears twitched.

Mudclaw turned back to the camp. "Wait here until I give the signal. I need to tell the cats I'm working with that it's time."

"What's the signal?" ventured Rowanclaw.

"You'll know. I'll come out here." The WindClan tabby ran back up the hill. He slowed as he neared the entrance, then padded non-chalantly through the heather and gorse barrier and into the dip. Cats were spread all around the clearing, resting and eating fresh-kill. Mudclaw blinked kind of sadly. He must disturb this peacefulness? Of course! WindClan needed to be strong, to have a strong leader! He shook his head, though he almost felt sorry.

Almost.

Mudclaw spotted Tornear stalking over to him, and he raised his muzzle. "Tell Webfoot, Nightcloud and Darknight we're ready," he whispered. Tornear nodded and walked over to where the three warriors that Mudclaw had named were sitting. They rose to their feet lazily, as though getting ready to go into the den.

Mudclaw caught Webfoot's eye and flicked his tail. The dark gray tabby tom padded slowly across the camp, close to where Onewhisker was sitting, then stopped, waiting for a signal.

Mudclaw turned around and pushed through the gorse out of the camp. Hawkfrost's patrol was waiting at the bottom of the closest hill, hidden in the tall grass. The wind rustled Mudclaw's fur as he met a RiverClan tom's eyes and motioned toward the camp with his tail. The tom meowed to Hawkfrost, who stood up quickly.

The WindClan tabby didn't wait to see if Hawkfrost had started up the hill. He yowled a battle cry and burst into the camp. Cats stared at him with surprise on their faces as he charged across the camp. Tornear and Darknight snarled and leaped for Ashfoot, the deputy. Webfoot was already fighting with Onewhisker, and had pinned the small brown tom on the ground. Mudclaw joined him as Onewhisker wriggled out of Webfoot's grasp and slashed the WindClan leader on the nose.

Onewhisker growled and lashed out with a forepaw, but he missed and fell back against the ground. More howls told Mudclaw that the RiverClan and ShadowClan cats were breaking into the camp. There was no way that WindClan could defy him now!

Then new yowls rose on the breeze. Mudclaw froze, and in that moment Onewhisker squirmed from under him and raced away. Webfoot spat and bolted after him, and yet more of Onewhisker's followers chased _him_. The fight moved outside of the camp, to another hill, and Mudclaw pursued it.

There were more yowls. The dark brown WindClan tom looked to where the cries came from, and stood paralyzed with fear. ThunderClan! Coming to help! Then he shook himself and launched forward just as the ThunderClan cats crashed into the battle. He leaped at Firestar as the leader saw him and snarled his name. They met in a flurry of claws and teeth. Mudclaw clawed at Firestar's belly, but the ThunderClan leader snapped on his tail.

Then Mudclaw broke away from Firestar for a moment, and jumped onto Onewhisker as the small tom scrambled nearby. He sank his teeth into Onewhisker's shoulder.

The WindClan leader let out a howl and twisted around. Mudclaw prepared to bite him in the throat, but then Firestar was pulling him away.

Mudclaw shook himself free. "Do you think this is your Clan?" he snarled. "Think again, kittypet! WindClan will have a new leader now, a strong cat who will make the Clan great again!"

"Onewhisker is WindClan's leader!" spat Firestar.

Mudclaw threw himself at the ThunderClan leader. As he hit the tom, Webfoot ran up and bit down on Firestar's leg.

Then there was a shriek. A ThunderClan she-cat, Squirrelflight, charged at them with claws extended. Webfoot hissed and darted off. Mudclaw turned to her, but a tom, Brambleclaw, rounded on him as well.

The mottled brown tabby spun around and fled across the hill. He ducked around battling cats and stopped at the top of a rise. Hawkfrost ran up to him.

Just then thunder rumbled and rain started to fall. Mudclaw screeched and bolted down the slope, heading for RiverClan territory. With the ThunderClan cats' appearance, they were starting to lose the battle!

He stumbled into marshy land. The tom could tell from the yowls behind him that some of the fighting cats had followed him. Mudclaw staggered through the wet ground until he was on the shore.

Then a snarling shape slammed into him. Brambleclaw! Mudclaw twisted to the side and Brambleclaw slipped in a patch of mud. The WindClan tom spat and gouged his claws deeply into the ThunderClan tom's shoulder.

"Traitor!" Brambleclaw hissed, but he lurched forward and fell. Mudclaw leaped and clawed at his unprotected belly. With a sense of savage triumph he felt Brambleclaw weakening, and he opened his jaws to sink them into the tom's throat.

Then a dark shadow reared up behind him and shoved him away, Mudclaw gasped and jerked back.

"Hawkfrost!" he spat. The RiverClan tabby pressed him down into the mud with a paw, but he was staring at Brambleclaw.

"You saved my life," Brambleclaw stammered. "Why, Hawkfrost? Why did you help me and not him?"

Mudclaw snarled an insult, but Hawkfrost ignored him.

Brambleclaw started again, "You _helped_ Mudclaw. You attacked WindClan, but now…"

Hawkfrost bowed his head. "True, I joined with Mudclaw because I thought he was the rightful leader of WindClan. But you're my brother, Brambleclaw. How could I let him kill you? Mudclaw persuaded me to join him. He promised to leave RiverClan in peace if I and some of my Clanmates helped him drive out Onewhisker."

"Tell him what else I promised you," Mudclaw spat, squirming in the mud. "Tell him how _you _came to _me_ and offered to help if I made you WindClan's deputy… and helped you to take over RiverClan later!"

"What?" Mudclaw could have killed Hawkfrost for the look of innocence he gave, even though it was true that Mudclaw had asked Hawkfrost for help, not vice versa. Still, Hawkfrost did want to take over RiverClan, that much was obvious. But Brambleclaw seemed to be buying his half-brother's words. "Brambleclaw, don't listen to him. Why would I want to leave RiverClan? And why would I ask any cat for that type of help?" He raised his head. "If I lead RiverClan one day, it will be by the warrior code, or not at all."

"Liar!" Mudclaw battered at Hawkfrost's belly with his hind paws, but missed.

Hawkfrost shook his head. "I only did what I thought was right. Can you really say that you never had any doubts about Onewhisker's leadership?"

Brambleclaw did not reply. As he hesitated Mudclaw heaved up and thrust Hawkfrost off of him into a pool of rainwater. The WindClan tabby leaped at Brambleclaw, but then Hawkfrost was standing and blocking him. Mudclaw screeched furiously and fled, darting toward the shore near the island. He could hear Hawkfrost running after him, but he didn't care.

Then a flash of lightning lit up the sky. It seared down and hit the top of a tree on the island. Mudclaw skidded to a halt and stared up as the tree was outlined in flame, then creaked and slowly toppled down towards him. He turned to run, but then it was falling and towered over him. It moved faster than any rabbit he had ever seen. The tree hurtled through the air and slammed into him, crushing him in a maze of green and brown. Mudclaw gasped for breath as the leaves choked him. Branches skewered his sides, and his blood oozed out onto the ground.

His neck was twisted at an odd angle, and he felt his legs stinging as the green enveloped him. Everything was covered in a cloud of green, the color of the ground under him. He felt his life ebbing away, felt it even through the horrible pain of his broken neck. Mudclaw screeched one last time.

Dark green swirled around him in a frenzy.

**Sorry that was so long. I wanted to have the battle and stuff in the chapter, but it was probably boring, so tell me if you didn't like it. **

** Also, I know that I made up the cats Silverflash and Darknight in RiverClan and WindClan, but the Allegiances show only a few cats for each Clan except for ThunderClan so I had to make some up. **

**Please review it!**


	8. Rainwhisker

**Why'd Rainwhisker have to die? He was so awesome! grumbles Anyway, I decided to write about him, even though I actually don't remember reading about him getting hit by a branch. I guess I skipped over that part in the book accidentally… But he was cool! He shouldn't have died!  
**

Rainwhisker could sense the storm brewing as he lay outside the warriors den. The tom pricked his ears and looked up. Yep, dark clouds were rolling through, covering the soft blue of the sky with a canvas of gray. Rainwhisker narrowed his eyes. A storm would be good for the forest, it was drier than usual.

"Rainwhisker!"

Rainwhisker glanced up. Thornclaw and Brightheart were padding towards him purposefully, and the tom rose to meet them. "Patrol?" he guessed.

Brightheart nodded. "Firestar wanted to do a quick check near the ShadowClan border since the dawn patrol didn't get to go that way this morning."

"All right," Rainwhisker agreed. "We can hunt on the way back, too." He followed Brightheart and Thornclaw across the camp and through the gorse tunnel. Rainwhisker stretched as he left the thorny barrier and the scents of the forest flowed around him.

"Hopefully the rain will stop any ShadowClan cats from invading our territory today," Brightheart joked.

Thornclaw purred and bounded ahead towards the border with the rival Clan. "Who knows, ShadowClan cats are crazy!"

Rainwhisker grinned and followed his Clanmates as they wound their way through the forest. The patrol padded on for a while in silence, enjoying the fresh air. A few times Rainwhisker heard mice scuffling in the leaves, but he would wait to hunt until he had patrolled the ShadowClan border. The tom took note of where he saw the possible prey, then nodded and trailed after Brightheart and Thornclaw.

After a few more minutes of walking, Rainwhisker scented the ShadowClan mark. The group emerged from a cluster of bushes and stepped up to the line.

"There it is," Rainwhisker commented. The ThunderClan tom wrinkled his nose. Yuck, ShadowClan has such a horrible smell!"

"That's true," meowed Thornclaw, amused. "But don't let them hear you say that!"

Brightheart's whiskers twitched. "Yes. Well, ShadowClan sure aren't trying to extend their boundary line. I guess we can get back to camp."

"And hunt, too,' added Thornclaw. "The Clan needs fresh-kill."

Brightheart was about to respond when a huge crash of thunder drowned out her words. All three cats jumped and stared up at the sky as black clouds spilled their drops down onto the forest. Rainwhisker flinched as a bright fork of lightning seared across the sky, followed by a deafening rumbling.

"So much for hunting," Brightheart muttered. "Let's get back to camp, then. It wouldn't be good to be caught in this storm for a long time." As if to prove her point, the rain splattered down even harder in freezing masses. Rainwhisker shivered as his fur became plastered to his flank.

"We can hunt tomorrow, and check the border again," mewed Thornclaw, creeping into the shelter beneath low hanging tree branches. "Now we should just go back."

Rainwhisker meowed his agreement and they set off back through the trees. The wind howled through the forest and around the patrol, which made the tom tremble with the chill. His wet fur seemed to seep up all of his heat, leaving him ever colder.

Bright light flashed again, illuminating the darkening trees. Rainwhisker wished that he was back at the ThunderClan camp, so he could go into the warrior's den to share fresh-kill with the others and be safe and warm.

Thunder roared again, so loud it seemed to be right next to him. Rainwhisker jerked back in fright, then leaped forward and bolted ahead of the rest of his patrol, racing almost blindly through the trees. The noise echoed in his ears, driving him onward. The tom could feel that there was something wrong. He needed to get back to camp _now_, the storm was making him more nervous than it should have, as though there was more danger than he thought…

Brightheart yowled for him to stop, and Thornclaw crashed through the undergrowth after him. Rainwhisker paused for a heartbeat, but then darted towards the camp once more. He had to find the camp before something bad happened, he could feel it.

A sudden blast of white fire zigzagged through the sky and snaked down towards the forest. The bright flash stunned Rainwhisker and he skidded to a halt in the dust. Thornclaw and Brightheart were far behind, calling his name, and he half-turned to them. Then there was a creaking sound, and thunder boomed once more. Rainwhisker looked up as a crack came from high in the air. The tom froze. A branch teetered from the top of the tree, hanging by a few fragments of wood.

Lightning crashed down near the tree again, and the wind shoved the dangling limb back and forth. With a snap it broke free and hurtled down towards the ground.

Towards Rainwhisker.

The ThunderClan tom screeched and flung himself to the side as the limb tumbled closer to him. He twisted away, but slipped on a puddle or rain water and crashed to the ground. Rainwhisker screamed again, struggling to get to his paws.

Brightheart appeared with Thornclaw right behind her, yowling. She stared wide-eyed at Rainwhisker, then at the branch plunging towards him, and she took a step forward.

Rainwhisker didn't hear her; the blood was pounding in his ears too loudly. The branch seemed to taunt him, daring him to move. The warrior yelled and squirmed away from the puddle, then slipped again in his anxiety.

The bough tore through other branches, careening down. It was only a tail-length away. Rainwhisker closed his eyes.

It hit him with a deep crack, and his howl was cut off by the wind and thunder as the dark gray of the storm swirled around him. The limb pressed him into the ground, filling his mouth with sodden dirt. Rainwhisker cried out, then fell silent as his vision faded into blackness quickly.

The gray spiraled in a rage towards him and swallowed him up.


	9. Hawkfrost

**This chapter was really fun to write! That's why it's so long...** **Hawkfrost is interesting to write about.**

Hawkfrost waited silently in the tree, looking down at the ground below him. The lap of the waves from the nearby lake were gentle and the tabby stretched his claws out lazily, although he was still on the lookout for any sign of Brambleclaw coming to meet him. He almost purred in amusement. Brambleclaw actually trusted him because of the blood they shared! How outrageous! Tigerclaw would never have done such a thing, and neither would he, but for now it would be good to make Brambleclaw think that the he was siding with the ThunderClan tom because they were kin.

Of course, once Hawkfrost led Brambleclaw to Firestar's trap, it would become obvious that the RiverClan warrior was betraying his own Clan… but who cared? He would become the greatest leader the forest had ever known, and with any luck, greed would bring Brambleclaw to agree with him as well. Well, Tigerstar thought so, but Hawkfrost wasn't as sure. His half-brother was weak enough to follow that crow-food leader Firestar; he might not be much use to their father still trapped in the Dark Forest. But even the most loyal cats could fall to the prospect of power, and Hawkfrost felt optimistic. Most likely Brambleclaw would be overcome by the desire to lead and would take the rest of Firestar's lives, and Tigerstar would be alive again – this time in both of them. But if Brambleclaw failed… Hawkfrost flexed his claws. _Then_ Brambleclaw would see how much being kin meant to his half-brother!

A rustle in the bushes made Hawkfrost sit up on his branch high in the tree. A minute later Brambleclaw padded out, glancing around curiously. Hawkfrost sighed. ThunderClan cats were so noisy, you could hear them before you scented them. But he ignored that and crouched back as Brambleclaw paused.

The large tabby kept his ice-blue eyes fixed on his half-brother as Brambleclaw tasted the air. He could probably smell the RiverClan and ShadowClan scent on Hawkfrost's pelt, and a heartbeat later he called out cautiously. "Hawkfrost?"

Hawkfrost stayed silent, waiting to see what Brambleclaw would do. Stupidly, the ThunderClan tom gave up trying to find him and dropped into a hunter's crouch instead, facing a thrush pecking away at a worm. Hawkfrost decided that now was the moment to appear and launched himself off the tree limb and onto Brambleclaw's back.

The dark brown tom yowled in alarm and the thrush fluttered away in a panic. Hawkfrost let Brambleclaw flip over and see him, and he watched his brother with amusement.

"Do you _mind_?" hissed Brambleclaw, scrambling to his paws. "Do you want every cat in ThunderClan to know you're here?"

Shrugging, Hawkfrost flicked his tail. "It doesn't matter. I'm allowed to be here as long as I stay close to the lake." He glanced at the shimmering blue stretch of water to his side as Brambleclaw smoothed his ruffled fur.

The ThunderClan warrior lifted his head after a moment. "Come into the ferns, he meowed, beckoning Hawkfrost over to a clump of bright green fronds. The tom's half-brother nodded followed him, and Brambleclaw wrinkled his nose.

"You have ShadowClan scent on you."

Hawkfrost narrowed his eyes. Of course there was the smell of ShadowClan! It was Tigerstar who was watching, after all. But he couldn't say that to Brambleclaw, so he growled angrily. "I must have picked up some of their reek on my way across their territory. But never mind that. We're wasting time."

Brambleclaw nodded, then took a deep breath. Hawkfrost was sure that some defiance to Tigerstar's great plan to 'unite' the Clans would come from him, and he waited to hear what the warrior wanted to say.

"This idea of Tigerstar's, that we take over ShadowClan and WindClan, I'm not sure it will work. StarClan have decreed there should be four Clans." Brambleclaw sounded uncertain, and he shifted his gaze slightly for a heartbeat anxiously.

Hawkfrost flicked his tail in annoyance. "Like Tigerstar said, that was back in the forest. _ Listen_, Brambleclaw. ShadowClan have always been a nuisance. Don't you think life would be better for all of us if they settled down under a leader who could make sure they stuck to the warrior code? Don't you think you could do a better job of leading WindClan than Onestar? Between us we could ensure that every cat in the forest was strong and happy. No more battles, no more quarreling over territory…" Hawkfrost offered this vision of a perfect world to his half-brother.

"Well… maybe." The ThunderClan cat was deep in thought. Hawkfrost knew that the offer was too good for a cat with Brambleclaw's ambition to resist, but he wondered if his half-brother's weakness would prevent him from accepting. _Still, there's the test of seeing if he'll seize power and kill Firestar for good,_ the tabby thought with a smirk.

Brambleclaw looked up again. "But-" A faint cry interrupted him, and Hawkfrost nearly purred in satisfaction as he recognized the yowl. Firestar. "What was that?"

Hawkfrost shrugged, hiding the glint in his icy eyes. "Some unlucky bit of prey." That was true; Firestar was the prey now, and Brambleclaw was the hunter if he chose to be. And if he didn't choose to…

The cry came again. "No!" Brambleclaw exclaimed, standing up quickly. "That's a cat in trouble. Come on!" He jumped out of the ferns and bolted along the lake shore in the direction of the wail. Hawkfrost followed him as a faint choking sound took the place of the feeble cry, and nearly crashed into his half-brother. He was staring at Firestar.

The ThunderClan leader clawed at the ground in desperation, but his struggles were already growing weak, and foam flecked his muzzle. The thin silver loop around his neck dug into his fur and at the other end was tied to the stick planted firmly in the ground. Brambleclaw leaped forward to help, but Hawkfrost thrust him aside.

"Mousebrain!" the RiverClan tom hissed. "This is your chance, Brambleclaw. You're deputy now. If Firestar dies, you'll be Clan leader." Silently he willed the brown tabby to understand the test and get it over with.

As Brambleclaw hesitated, Firestar made an effort to speak. "Birchpaw told me… Blackstar waiting on our territory… Had to come alone…" he wheezed for breath.

Hawkfrost watched the rusty-furred tom with savage triumph as he padded to the leader and hissed in his ear. "But Blackstar isn't here. We are. You're a fool, Firestar. You were too easy to trap."

Firestar didn't answer, but Brambleclaw snarled. "You did this! You arranged for Firestar to be here, where there was a fox trap waiting."

"Of course," Hawkfrost snapped as if it were obvious. How mousebrained could his half-brother get? All Brambleclaw needed to do was take one life from Firestar, just one… and then greed and ambition would do the rest for him. "I did it for you." He could feel Tigerstar beside him now, sneering at the ThunderClan tom and his leader.

Firestar jerked again, and Hawkfrost's head swiveled around to glare at him. "The brave ThunderClan leader!" he spat scornfully. "Not so powerful now, are you? Come on, Brambleclaw, finish him off!"

Tigerstar had gone over to Brambleclaw, and Hawkfrost could hear the whispers in his mind. _Kill him. No cat will know. You can be Clan leader. You can have everything you have ever wanted._

Hawkfrost nudged Brambleclaw viciously. "What are you waiting for? This is what we have wanted all along, remember? Kill him now!"

His half-brother was still staring at the Clan leader in shock. Hawkfrost hissed. Did it really take the furball this long to make a decision? Tigerstar growled angrily in Brambleclaw's ear. _Fool! Kill him now!_ Hawkfrost spat in fury at the dark brown tabby. It looked like Brambleclaw was going to fail the test after all… he unsheathed his claws and scraped them against the ground.

"Six lives…" Brambleclaw murmured. Six lives left, and after that, everything he could ever want.

"That's right. This is our chance to take revenge on Firestar for our father's death. He could have tried to stop Scourge, but he just stood there and watched Tigerstar die, over and over and over."

Slowly Brambleclaw wrenched his gaze from Firestar to stare at his half-brother. Hawkfrost glowered at him, and the ThunderClan warrior's voice was strong and steady. "No. I won't do it." Hawkfrost watched partly in surprise and partly in disgust as Brambleclaw leapt to Firestar and struggled to dig up the stick that trapped him. "Keep still, Firestar. I'll have you out of this in a heartbeat."

Hawkfrost yowled in protest and sprang at him. Alongside the tabby raced Tigerstar's spirit, claws outstretched with fury. Brambleclaw was thrown away from the rasping clan leader and Hawkfrost pinned him down. "Coward!" he snarled. "Keep away and I'll kill him myself if I have to!" _And you!_ he added silently.

"Never!" Brambleclaw thrust his hind paws into Hawkfrost's belly and the RiverClan warrior stumbled back for a heartbeat. In that moment Brambleclaw launched himself at the stick keeping Firestar down, and in a quick motion the tom was free. Firestar drew a deep gasping breath.

Hawkfrost snarled and jumped at his half-brother in a rage. His claws ripped through Brambleclaw's fur and the ThunderClan tabby spun around.

"Traitor!" Hawkfrost howled. "You're a traitor to everything our father planned! You were never strong enough to be like him!"

"I don't want to be like him!" hissed Brambleclaw.

Hawkfrost almost laughed insanely at this rebelliousness. "Then you're a fool, and stupid too. You never realized that his was a test." He put all of his hatred into finally telling Brambleclaw the truth. "It was Tigerstar's idea. He said that if you really deserved power, you would do _anything_ to get it."

"Even kill my Clan leader?"

"Especially that. But you're as weak as we feared. We have great plans for the forest, he and I, and you could have been apart of them. But now we don't need you."

Brambleclaw's eyes showed his fear as Hawkfrost stepped towards him with sharp claws gouging the earth. Now he could kill Brambleclaw, and show him that family didn't matter as much as ruling the entire forest!

"Go back to RiverClan," stammered Brambleclaw. "You're my brother. I don't want to hurt you."

"Because you're weak!" Hawkfrost taunted him. "You care more for kin than for power. But _I_ don't!" In a fast decisive movement he leaped at Brambleclaw, pinning him to the ground. His claws raked the smaller tom's belly and snapped through his throat. His half-brother's death was just a heartbeat away, and then the entire forest would be his.

Suddenly, with a burst of strength, Brambleclaw tore free of Hawkfrost's grasp. He lunged for the stick from the fox trap and grabbed it between his teeth. Hawkfrost spat and jumped forward, but just as his did so, Brambleclaw heaved the stick around and plunged it deep into Hawkfrost's throat.

Hawkfrost staggered back in surprise, then in pain as the pointed end was driven deeper into his neck. He stiffened and fell onto his half-brother. Brambleclaw released the stick in surprise and it fell away. Hawkfrost growled faintly as blood spurted from his throat. It splashed down faster and faster into a flood that spilled onto the lakeshore.

"Hawkfrost!" Brambleclaw gasped. "I…I didn't want this!"

Hawkfrost heaved himself up in a final effort and stumbled forward. Brambleclaw braced himself, and the RiverClan warrior snarled. "Fool! Do you think I did this alone?" Scarlet sprayed even faster from his wound as he spoke, and pain made his vision cloudy, but still he spoke. "Do you think you're safe within your own Clan?" He coughed harshly. "Think again!"

Brambleclaw stared at him in amazement. "What? What do you mean? Tell me, Hawkfrost? _Who_ do you mean?"

Btu Hawkfrost didn't answer. He glared one last time and darkness fell over his vision. Somewhere in the distance he felt himself fall, tumbled through the ferns, and collapse. Faintly his fur became wet, and his blood seeped into the lake, staining the water red. He snarled in his mind to Brambleclaw one last time.

_We will meet again, my brother. This is not over yet._

Abruptly the lake shivered, and dark trees sprouted up from it. The ThunderClan forest shimmered and transformed into a completely different place. Everything was black and cold, and the pain in Hawkfrost's neck was even worse then before. His blood washed over the ground, and then it was all gone.

He spun around. Tigerstar was glowering at him.

"Hello, Hawkfrost."

**Please, review! I will also take suggestions for more cats. Next will be Whitestorm and then Willowpelt.**


	10. Whitestorm

**Yah! Lots of people liked the past chapter! So here is Whitestorm (by requests from lots of people). Please review!! **

"LionClan, attack!"

The yowl was still ringing in Whitestorm's ears as the wave of cats surged forward and crashed into the advancing BloodClan line with Firestar leading them. The deputy hissed, gathered all his courage and strength and leaped forward, careening into a dark tabby as the battle began.

The tabby spun around, snarled, and clawed at the Clan cat's face as Whitestorm bit down on his shoulder. He was much bigger than the white warrior, and he threw himself down, pinning Whitestorm to the ground. But Whitestorm was ready, and he pushed up into the tabby's belly with his hind legs, flinging the attacker back across Fourtrees. Before the BloodClan tom could regain his senses, Whitestorm jumped into the fight and left the tabby staring after him.

Cats swirled around Whitestorm screeching and slashing with unsheathed claws as he pressed forward to see where Firestar and Scourge were. For Firestar had certainly gone after the small, cruel leader of these fierce cats. Scourge held them together; they had no trust in StarClan, and without him the Twolegplace warriors would break apart and run back to their homes.

The ThunderClan deputy ducked just as a wildly flung paw stretched near his head, and he looked at it to see Runningbrook, a light gray queen from WindClan, battling furiously with a gigantic black she-cat. They struggled together for a heartbeat, and then the black warrior hissed triumphantly and pressed Runningbrook into the ground.

Whitestorm yowled and leaped at the she-cat. She looked up in surprise as he slammed into her side and threw her away from the WindClan queen. Runningbrook stood and together they pushed the black BloodClan female even farther back until she turned and ran away, howling, into the seething mass of cats.

Runningbrook, breathless, nodded her thanks and she darted away to help one of her Clanmates.

Whitestorm narrowed his eyes. Just then a calico she-cat growled at him, and he spun around to face her just as she leaped. Her claws scored down his side and the deputy's blood was spattering the grass even before he could react, and the calico turned as she jumped past and went for him again. Whitestorm ducked at the last moment and she swerved over his head and crashed into Blackclaw and Shadepelt. They twisted to meet her and lashed out with their forepaws.

Whitestorm felt the gash from the calico's claws sting painfully, but he braced himself and dived back to the direction where he ha last seen Firestar.

He passed Graystripe grappling with a huge tom and Willowpelt snarling at a tortoiseshell. The two looked like they were holding their own and Whitestorm ran forward again.

Cloudtail stumbled into Whitestorm's path, his legs torn and oozing scarlet. "Brightheart!" he stammered. "Have - have you seen her?"

Whitestorm rose his head and stared around. After a minute he caught side of the injured ginger-and-white she-cat trapped underneath a light brown tom and pointed with his tail. With a screech of rage, Cloudtail leaped to the queen's defense and the toms looked up in surprise as claws and teeth ripped at their fur. The smaller tabby turned tail and bolted to find an easier fight, and Brightheart and Cloudtail attacked the remaining warrior.

Whitestorm looked anxiously for somewhere that he could fight – or even better, to find Firestar and help him defeat Scourge. Their only hope was to find the BloodClan leader and kill him; the Twolegplace fighters were too strong, and there were too many of them, to fight if they still had support from the small back tom.

Suddenly Morningflower burst from the ranks of Clan warriors and apprentices, and threw herself at a white tomcat, yowling, "Gorsepaw! Gorsepaw!" The tom stared up at her in shock, then spun around and bounded away from the furious she-cat avenging her kit's death. Whitestorm watched the BloodClan warrior flee and for a moment he felt glad. Maybe they would have a chance to win if all the warriors were fighting this way. Maybe they could strike down Scourge.

Then Whitestorm saw an opening in the fighting cats. He bounded through it and slammed into a tortoiseshell with a look of hatred on her face. The teeth studded collar scratched his muzzle as he snapped at her neck, but he ignored it.

"Go away, BloodClan cats! This isn't your place!" He growled menacingly and slashed the she-cat's flank. In response she sunk her fangs into his back. The deputy squirmed in her grip, but his blood seeped out from the bites and Whitestorm felt himself weakening. Darkness was on the edge of his vision, threatening in drown him if he lost more blood.

Then Sandstorm, with Dustpelt behind her, yowled a challenge at the she-cat. The tortoiseshell looked up and saw the hostile ThunderClan warriors coming at her with outstretched claws and bolted away from Whitestorm.

"Thanks," he gasped. Sandstorm nodded and the two young warriors chased after the BloodClan she-cat. Whitestorm staggered up, thick scarlet liquid dripping from his pelt. He should get to the medicine cats and be healed, but he didn't want to. He needed to stay and serve the Clan!

As the tom hesitated, a huge black and white tabby collided with him. With a jolt of terror, Whitestorm recognized Bone, the deputy to Scourge. Desperately the ThunderClan cat pummeled Bone's belly with his paws as the large warrior flung him to the earth in one quick throw. Whitestorm's claws slashed again and again, but they did not make the vicious cat even pause. The white tabby's fur was stained with red as Bone bit down on his throat, issuing a wide stream of blood from the injured neck.

Whitestorm howled feebly, and pain spread through his body like wildfire. Faintly he heard a cry of horror, heard pawsteps pounding towards him. Suddenly Bone was torn away, and Bramblepaw and Ashpaw clambered over him, covering the older and bigger tom with scratches.

A fiery colored cat entered his fading vision, his red pelt matching the scarlet of the blood that stung his eyes. Whitestorm's eyes glimmered. _Firestar_. And Graystripe was beside him.

Whitestorm almost smiled. He had done what he had wanted: fought to the best of his ability, and he let the tip of his tail twitch. In a rasping voice choked with blood he whispered to his leader. "Goodbye, Firestar."

"Whitestorm, no!" Firestar cried in disbelief and anguish. He glanced at his gray-pelted friend. "Graystripe, find Cinderpelt!" His meow rose to a wail.

"Too late." Whitestorm swallowed painfully. "I go to hunt with StarClan."

"You can't – the Clan needs you!"

"You will find others…" The dying deputy's gaze flicked over to Graystripe. "Trust your heart, Firestar. You have always know that Graystripe is the cat StarClan destined to be your deputy." Even as he said it, he knew it was true. The voices of StarClan were whispering in his head, calling to him.

"No – Whitestorm!"

Whitestorm blocked the young leader out, sensing the right time to leave. The voices of StarClan grew clearer, and in particular, Bluestar's steady meow, guiding him. He allowed the darkness to wash over his vision as Firestar watched, and his eyes grew glassy and dim. StarClan's purrs all around him as he waited at the edge of the cliff between the battle and endless hunting.

_Jump. Now._

He leaped and let himself fall into nothingness.


	11. Willowpelt

**Hello again! I am back! And here is the next chapter: Willowpelt.**

**I don't really know how she died, but supposedly it was from a badger attack between The Darkest Hour and Midnight. If you have proof that it wasn't, please tell me. Otherwise… I am writing about a badger attack.**

"Firestar, Firestar!"

Mousefur burst through the gorse barrier, her brown tail fluffed up. Willowpelt glanced up from the mouse she was eating and stared at the older warrior. The pale furred she-cat blinked.

"You're yowling loud enough to scare away all the prey between here and Highstones, Mousefur. What is it?"

Almost before Willowpelt had finished speaking, Mousefur rounded on her, gasping for breath. "Badgers! They've come! They attacked me!"

Willowpelt drew back, shocked. "Badgers? You're lucky that you escaped! Foul creatures." She wrinkled her nose. "Good thing Spiderpaw wasn't with you. Your apprentice might not have been able to outrun an angry badger."

"One almost got me! It swiped with a huge hairy forepaw."

A noise made Mousefur stop and turn around. Firestar was padding from his den. The ThunderClan leader saw Mousefur and ran over with Sandstorm and Graystripe on his heels.

"Mousefur? What's the matter?" The rusty colored tom cocked his head to one side.

Mousefur hissed. "Badgers! I was out hunting and they crashed into me!"

Sandstorm hissed, and Graystripe unsheathed his claws. Firestar signaled with his tail for them to remain still. "How close to camp are they?" he questioned the panting she-cat.

"Close enough! Well… less than half the distance from here to Sunningrocks."

Firestar growled deep in his throat. "That's bad. How many? From what you're saying, it sounds like there are more than one."

Mousefur shuddered. "At least three, I think. Maybe four. Enough that you'll need to send many cats."

The leader nodded. "Graystripe, Sandstorm. Round up some cats – no apprentices, though. Strong warriors. Get Rainwhisker, Sorrelpaw and Squirrelpaw to help the queens, elders and kits in case the badgers come here."

"We won't let them come here!" Willowpelt put in, stepping up to Mousefur's side.

Firestar swiveled his head around to look at her. "Yes. Willowpelt, you go with Sandstorm's group."

Willowpelt dipped her head in acknowledgement, and followed Sandstorm as the pale ginger she-cat assembled Dustpelt, Brackenfur, Brambleclaw and Sootfur. Graystripe padded over to her with his patrol, made up of Cloudtail, Brightheart and Goldenflower. Firestar came up with Mousefur after a minute.

"Mousefur is going to show us where the badgers are," he meowed firmly. He sounded very calm. Willowpelt was surprised; after all, badgers were attacking and could be at the camp entrance at any moment. The tom flicked his tail. "Come on, Mousefur."

The wiry brown she-cat nodded, her fur laying flat on her shoulders again, and ran towards the gorse tunnel. The rest of the patrol followed her. Willowpelt shot a glance back at the camp to see the apprentices speaking to the elders and queens about the badgers. _Good. At least the rest of ThunderClan is warned now_.

The scents of the forest flooded over her as she bounded between the trees after the rest of her Clan. Despite knowing that she was going off to fight, the day seemed bright and cheerful. The woods were full of prey, the sun was strong, and-

Willowpelt gasped and tripped over a tree root. She tumbled forward, crashing into Cloudtail. "Watch it!" the white warrior snapped.

"Sorry," muttered Willowpelt, licking her ruffled chest fur.

"Hurry," Cloudtail sighed, but a friendly gleam was in his ice blue eyes. "Or they'll have finished the fight without us."

Willowpelt blinked gratefully and leaped ahead, pelting through the forest. She dimly noticed a foul scent becoming clearer, a harsh musky odor. It smelled like-

"Badger!"

Willowpelt's ears pricked up as she heard Goldenflower cry out. She sped ahead with Cloudtail right behind her, panting. The she-cat staggered into a clearing where the ThunderClan cats stood in a circle, surrounding five huge shapes in the middle.

There they were. Badgers.

The creatures grunted and shifted their giant black and white paws, searching for the first cat to attack. Sandstorm and Dustpelt snarled at them, extending their claws. One of the badgers stepped towards them.

Suddenly there was an unspoken signal and cats and badgers ran forward. The clearing erupted into a battle, and the patrol leaped into the midst of it. Willowpelt and Cloudtail stopped and looked at each other.

"Come on," Willowpelt hissed. "We don't need badgers on ThunderClan territory."

Cloudtail spat at the lumbering creatures in agreement. The two cats jumped into the fight.

Willowpelt crouched down and sprang at a badger across the grassy area. It was trying to dislodge Brambleclaw from its shoulder; the dark brown tabby had sunk his teeth into the coarse fur. Willowpelt yowled and ran in front of the animal, distracting it. As the badger clumsily tried to swipe at her, Brambleclaw slashed its large muzzle. Blood stung the badger's beady eyes and it howled. Willowpelt hissed and clawed at the creature's side, the pale queen's talons ripping through the rough pelt.

Finally the badger growled and shook Brambleclaw violently off. The tom lay winded for a heartbeat, then leaped up and side by side with Willowpelt drove the badger to the edge of the clearing. It hesitated for a moment, then turned and fled at a slash from Willowpelt.

"Nice job," panted Brambleclaw. He had a cut on his flank, but he ignored the pain.

Willowpelt tapped his side with her tail. "You too."

Brambleclaw nodded his thanks and glanced up just as a badger loomed over him. He thrust his claws up into the creature's face. Brightheart came running to help, and Willowpelt left them to fight the leering animal.

Suddenly the she-cat's attention was drawn across the clearing to a lone badger standing over a clump of ragged fur. The creature's fur was stained with red, but it still moved with powerful motions. Willowpelt tried to glimpse what it was doing, but a badger and cat tussling blocked her view for a second. Then the skirmish moved away and Willowpelt could clearly see the unmoving cat. A soundless yowl left her.

_Sootfur!_

The pale furred queen snarled and jumped to the gray tom's side. He lay still, but Willowpelt could she him breathing faintly. A gash in his side oozed blood, and his limbs twitched.

"Sootfur! Sootfur!" The she-cat frantically licked his flank.

The warrior looked up at the sound of his name. "Willowpelt?" He closed his eyes again despairingly.

A growl made Willowpelt spin around. The badger was staring at her menacingly. The she-cat narrowed her eyes. "Go away, you mouse-brained piece of fox dung!" she spat.

The badger replied with a swipe. Willowpelt felt dull claws flinging her aside. She hit the ground and struggled to stand again, just as the badger loomed above Sootfur, ready to finish him off. Its claws gleamed in the bright sunlight.

"No!"

Willowpelt sprang at the badger's back with outstretched claws. The creature half-turned, surprised, then staggered back as the queen hit it with full force. Willowpelt clawed at the sneering face in fury. "Don't you dare hurt my son!"

Sootfur moaned. His cut had started bleeding even more, and his tail lashed the air.

"Some cat help Sootfur!" Willowpelt screeched. "He's hurt!" Not sure if any cat had heard her, she clung to the badger's back with all her strength. So far she was fine, but one of its wildly flailing paws was sure to hit her sometime. Tense, she dug her claws into the animal's flesh even further.

The badger howled and fell onto its back, crushing Willowpelt beneath it. She wheezed for air as the badger stood again, twisting around to glare at her. Vainly the queen kicked out with her hind legs. "Leave – go away!" she hissed through gritted teeth.

The badger grunted and stepped forward. It snapped its teeth angrily and lunged for her. Willowpelt yowled and reached up with claws to meet its muzzle.

The black and white head ducked, swerved under the talons. They came down, and the she-cat jerked away. She gasped in pain as the fangs connected in her tail, where her throat had been a heartbeat before.

Suddenly the badger lashed out with its claws, and Willowpelt screamed as those ripped through her fur. The creature loomed over her, and stamped down on her belly hard with a huge paw, tearing a gash in her soft underbelly.

A golden-brown shape flew through the air – Brackenfur.

The badger howled in shock as the furious tom landed and slashed at its side. It crouched down, blindly stabbing out a taloned paw. The claw hit Willowpelt in the flank, and she cried out as scarlet ran from her many wounds.

Dimly the queen saw Sandstorm and Firestar, dragging Sootfur away to safety, and she felt a dull relief. But now black flame was licking at the edge of her vision, and she couldn't move as the badger threw Brackenfur off and stood over her once more.

Black and white crashed down to her head, filling her sight. Coarse fur was all around, and slashing claws. Willowpelt jerked once, and lay still. The two contrasting colors were all around, each trying to cover her mind.

Then the white was gone, and black flooded everything.

**Another cat died… this time because of the badgers… grr…**

**You get to vote for the next cats I do! The choices are Larchkit/Hollykit, Molepaw, Yellowfang, Stonefur, Lionheart, Feathertail, Sootfur and Shrewpaw. Also, if you have any other suggestions, tell me. Please review!!!**


	12. Shrewpaw

**Thanks to all of the people who reviewed and voted! This chapter is Shrewpaw, and the next will be Hollykit/Larchkit. Vote for the ones after that from the list I posted on the last chapter.  
**

"Come on, Shrewpaw! Let's go hunting!"

The small brown cat glanced around at the meow to see a golden-brown warrior approaching him. Thornclaw padded across Sunningrocks towards his apprentice, his tail twitching. Shrewpaw pricked up his ears and stood to meet the older tom. He walked across the smooth stone until he was beside his mentor.

"Hunting? Can't we go on a patrol or something to see where the Twolegs are?" Shrewpaw asked. "Hunting's boring now. There's no fresh-kill."

"Exactly," mewed Thornclaw sternly. "The Clan really needs food. We'll all starve without it. So hurry up, and we'll hunt."

"If there's any prey left," the brown cat muttered. He could see unnatural thinness on every cat, and despite Thornclaw's first attempt at a cheerful voice, he knew that food would be hard to find. As if to prove his point, thunder boomed overhead, and drops of rain started to fall from the clouds.

Thornclaw looked up and growled at the sky. "Great, just what we need." He sighed. "Oh well. Let's go anyway. There's bound to be a mouse somewhere that's not hiding from the Twolegs and the rain."

Shrewpaw said nothing, just followed his mentor away from Sunningrocks. The two padded into the forest, scenting the air for prey. Shrewpaw strained to catch a whiff of prey-scent on the breeze, but there was only the harsh tang of Twolegs all around. After a while he sat down, frustrated.

Thornclaw stopped, and cocked his head to one side. "What?"

"All I can smell is the stupid Twolegs and their monsters!" the apprentice spat. "Why can't they leave us alone? I hate it! What did we ever do to them?"

Thornclaw sighed. "Who knows? All of the Clan is trying to figure that out. Why doesn't StarClan send us a sign?" His tail flicked irritably. "No cat understands it."

"It's not fair," grumbled Shrewpaw, but he stood up and walked alongside his mentor again. They wound their way deeper into the woods, pausing every few pawsteps to listen vainly for the scuffling of prey.

Suddenly a twig shifted. Shrewpaw froze and peered between two bushes. Ahead of him a small gray shape nibbled at a seed. "A mouse!" Shrewpaw crouched down in excitement, preparing to spring. _Fresh_-_kill_!

Suddenly a fork of lightning lit up the sky, and a crash of thunder made Shrewpaw jump. His foot caught on a branch, and it snapped. The mouse jumped up, dropped its seed and scurried away. Cursing himself, Shrewpaw raced after it with claws outstretched. In a heartbeat the small creature wriggled under a tree root out of the cat's grasp.

"Fox dung!" the apprentice snarled. "Why did that stupid branch have to be in the way?" He could bite himself for that! A whole mouse, lost! Stiffly he spun around. "Did you see that, Thornclaw?" His meow quivered as he forced himself not to cry. Shrewpaw told himself not to be upset over one tiny mouse, but the point was that he lost prey that would be used to keep the Clan alive for another day. He had been too clumsy!

Thornclaw turned to face his apprentice. His eyes were blazing with fury, though not with anger at the young tom. "You're right. There _is_ no prey at all along here, except for that mouse, but it's gone now. Graystripe's patrol reported the same thing yesterday."

"Then why did we come on this path?" asked Shrewpaw, confused.

Thornclaw frowned. "I had hoped that the prey would come back to this area, but it obviously hasn't."

Shrewpaw kicked the ground. "Then let's go on a different route."

"Definitely," agreed Thornclaw. "This way."

As they walked, Shrewpaw noticed a new sound. It rumbled faintly, then grew louder as they continued. Soon it was almost a roar, and Thornclaw hesitated. The apprentice noted that they had been heading for the ShadowClan border, but surely they were too far away from the Thunderpath to hear the monsters there…

Unexpectedly a huge crack echoed through the trees, close by. Thornclaw leaped to the side, his tail fluffed up, just as a huge Twoleg monster smashed through the undergrowth. Shrewpaw yowled and sprang for his mentor, only just landing behind a bush as the creature tore up the earth where his paws had been a moment before. The apprentice shuddered.

"So that's why there's no prey in this area," whispered Thornclaw. "The Twolegs have already come this far." His tail lashed the air. "We have to get back and tell Firestar," the tom decided.

"But what about hunting?" questioned Shrewpaw.

"That can wait. We need to report this to Firestar, really. He needs to know how close the monsters are coming to Sunningrocks."

"Fine," Shrewpaw meowed. He was about to follow his mentor when a slight movement caught his eye and a warm scent blew into his muzzle. _Prey_?

"Thornclaw, wait!" Shrewpaw bounded ahead to catch up with the tom. "Thornclaw! There's prey over there, more than one animal, too!"

"What?" The golden-brown tabby twisted around to face him. "Really?"

"Yes. Yes!" Shrewpaw bounced up and down. "Please, can we catch it?" He looked down at his paws. "I really want to bring something back to the Clan."

Thornclaw watched the young brown cat for a moment. "All right. We'll split up, then they'll be more of a chance of getting fresh-kill. You're _sure _that there was more than one creature?"

Shrewpaw nodded. "The Twoleg isn't going to come back for a little while, anyway." He was right; already the booming from the monster had faded away. "Please?" Contrary to his former reluctance to hunt, his paws now itched to trap prey.

Thornclaw smiled. "Go."

"Yes!" Shrewpaw spun around and raced back to where he had scented the fresh-kill. He crept forward stealthily, trying to ignore his growling stomach as the smell came back to him. _Stop it, I need to feed the Clan first._ He looked through some ferns and nearly dropped to the ground in shock.

A pheasant waited in front of him, barely a tail-length away. It was big enough to feed half the Clan! Shrewpaw forced his paws to move, his eyes wide. _Oh StarClan, help me. I can't mess this up._ Crouched under the ferns he tensed, lashed his tail, and pounced.

The pheasant squawked as the apprentice landed on its back. It flapped small wings wildly, throwing Shrewpaw off. In a flash the tom was back on his feet, bolting after the giant bird as it crashed into the bushes. _I _have_ to catch this prey!_ Shrewpaw thought fiercely.

Abruptly he noticed that the pheasant had hesitated. Without thinking, Shrewpaw launched himself at it, paying no attention to the harsh odor of Twoleg monsters. The pheasant screeched and ducked out of the way just as Shrewpaw reached it, and it fled across a hard black road.

The Thunderpath.

Shrewpaw saw it just as his body leaped after the bird. The tom tried to stop himself, but he smashed awkwardly against the rough surface. The dark path rumbled, and with a jolt of pure terror shot through him as a shiny shape appeared.

Twoleg monster!

The apprentice tried to stand to jump out of the way, but his paws wouldn't move. Desperately he made a final attempt to spring to the edge of the Thunderpath. He glanced to the side and saw the pheasant watching him, almost mocking him.

The Twoleg monster was almost there.

_StarClan, please._

Shrewpaw stumbled up, crouched, leaped –

"Shrewpaw!"

The giant whirling black paws slammed into him. Something snapped, he screamed; the monster flung him across the path violently. The small brown body hit the ground hard. But there was no pain.

He had already landed in a bright sea of stars.


	13. Hollykit and Larchkit

All she could remember was hunger. Deep, fierce hunger that dulled everything else, even the cold from leaf-bare. The kit could tell that her mother felt the same, and now Ferncloud's scent was mingled with sadness and despair. Why? Was it because Larchkit wasn't there?

Hollykit squirmed around painfully, bumping against Birchkit, who was curled up beside her. She was aware of the empty space on her left flank, where Larchkit slept before. Larchkit had been gone for a long time. Where was she? Hollykit had a faint memory of her sister sleeping peacefully, and Dustpelt coming and taking her away for no reason. Why did he do that?

Her stomach growled at her, asking for milk. Hollykit mewled and wriggled forward blindly to find Ferncloud. Her eyes slowly edged open and a hard rocky den came into focus. This was the new nursery, after the cats had left their camp due to the Twoleg monsters.

"Mom?" she squeaked.

Birchkit shifted, one paw twitching from a dream. Hollykit ignored him and twisted around, trying to stand. She rose for a heartbeat, then collapsed onto the ground again. It had taken away all of her energy to move. Hopefully Ferncloud was near.

"M-mom?" Her mew was quiet this time. Birchkit whined as if he sensed his sister's pain even in his sleep. _He must be just as hungry as me_, Hollykit thought.

Suddenly pawsteps echoed in the den. The kit squeaked weakly and the steps quickened. A gray shape thrust its head into the nursery. Hollykit breathed in the scent. _Dustpelt_. She felt calmer now.

Dustpelt rushed over to his two kits. "Where's mom?" complained Hollykit, wiggling to reach her father. "I'm hungry."

"We all are," sighed Dustpelt. He bent down and touched his daughter's flank gently. "Ferncloud's eating some fresh-kill. She'll be here in a moment."

"Oh." Hollykit looked at Birchkit, sleeping quietly in the moss. Larchkit _still_ wasn't there. A question flickered through her mind. "Where's Larchkit?"

The tom glanced up, surprised. "W-what?" His meow quavered.

"Larchkit. Why did you take her away?"

Dustpelt stared at his kit, then dropped his head. His eyes were glistening with sorrow. _Why?_ wondered Hollykit. _What is he so sad about?_ She blinked at her father.

Finally, after what seemed to be a moon of silence, the gray warrior looked up at her again. "Larchkit's not coming back," he whispered. "She's gone." His tail and whiskers drooped.

Hollykit cocked her head to one side. "_You_ were the one who took her away."

"No." Dustpelt sat down heavily. "Ferncloud tried her best. But there's not enough prey for her to feed three kits."

"But where is she?"

The tom said nothing, but gazed at her with a look filled with despair.

"Oh!" Hollykit sprang up, then fell again. She glanced at Dustpelt playfully. "She's hiding! It's like hide-and-seek! I get it!" She rolled around, trying to see where her sister could be sheltering. "Let's find her!"

"No! Stop it, Hollykit!"

Hollykit jumped. Dustpelt had _never_ shouted her before. She shrank back from him, bumping into Birchkit. "B-but why?" Her fur bristled anxiously. Dustpelt's eyes blazed furiously, then he dropped his stare.

"She tried her best," the warrior murmured again. "Why did Larchkit have to go?"

"Don't worry," Hollykit reassured him. "I'll find her. She's hiding around here somewhere."

Her father looked at her again with that same haunting look in his eyes. Silently he turned and padded out of the nursery.

Hollykit stared after him. Why had he been so angry? She was just trying to play the game! Confused, he curled up beside Birchkit again, who had slept through the entire thing.

A meow reached her a few minutes later. Hollykit pricked up her ears as a familiar ash-colored queen entered the den.

"Mom! Mom!" Hollykit squealed excitedly as Ferncloud padded up to her. "I'm going to find Larchkit!"

To her surprise the she-cat shook her head. "You're not going to."

"But _why_?"

"I'm so sorry," whispered Ferncloud. "There just wasn't enough fresh-kill to let me make milk for all three of you." She tucked her head under her tail. "Sleep, Hollykit. I'll give you some food when you wake."

"But I'm hungry _now_." Hollykit waited for a reply, but she didn't get one. Darn. No cat was giving her answers to anything. Oh well. Food would come soon, and she would find Larchkit when she woke up. Content, the kit pressed deeper into the moss and closed her eyes. _I'll find you Larchkit. Don't worry._

A mew made her open her eyes. Hollykit gasped, then jumped up. A small she-cat sat in front of her. The kit squealed in happiness. "Larchkit! I told them I'd find you!" Rushing over to her sister, Hollykit buried her nose in her Larchkit's fur. "Come on! Mom and dad will be so glad!"

She drew back, but Larchkit stayed where she was. To Hollykit it seemed as though her sister's eyes were old and wise now, and her pelt glistened with stars. "Follow me, Hollykit."

"All right." Hollykit shrugged, suddenly aware that her limbs were strong and she felt no hunger. "Hey! I'm better now! Let's bring Birchkit as well so he's not hungry too."

"No." Larchkit shook her head. "We can't bring Birchkit. It's not his time."

"Time for what?" asked Hollykit. Larchkit was starting to confuse her.

"It doesn't matter." Larchkit motioned with her tail to a crack in the rock. From outside cool, fresh air blew in, a breeze not tainted by the stench from the Twolegs. Hollykit sighed with pleasure.

Then a new feeling made her back prickle. It felt like a cat was frantically licking her pelt. Hollykit blinked and turned to see behind her.

Ferncloud had woken up and was trying to make a small shape next to her stir. The queen was covering the body with terrified licks. With a jolt of both amazement and fear, Hollykit recognized herself.

"Hollykit."

She spun around; Larchkit was waiting for her. "Where am I? How can I be here _and_ there?" She raced up to her sister. "I don't want to leave Birchkit and mom."

"Don't worry, you'll see them soon." Larchkit lightly flicked Hollykit's back with her tail. "Follow me." She disappeared through the crack and the forest swallowed her up.

Hollykit looked outside. Stars were glittering warmly in the night sky, and the scent of the forest called to her. The kit glanced back at Ferncloud. The she-cat's tail was fluffed up with grief, and Birchkit had opened his eyes. To Hollykit it seemed like her brother met her gaze for the last time.

"See you soon!" she meowed cheerfully, and followed Larchkit into the starry forest.


	14. Molepaw

Molepaw staggered into the camp right behind Sandstorm and Birchfall, carrying a squirrel. The apprentice padded after them as the two warriors each took a piece of prey after putting down their catch. He dropped the squirrel on the fresh-kill pile, and started to turn away.

Sandstorm blocked him with her tail. "Aren't you going to eat anything? You've been up since sunrise, first training with your mentor, and now hunting. You must be starving."

"Not really," mewed Molepaw. He looked at the fresh-kill pile, and he felt sick. "I'm just not hungry."

"What?" Birchfall narrowed his eyes. "You haven't eaten since yesterday, and you only had a small mouse then."

"I'm fine!" protested Molepaw. "_I_ can decide how much I need to eat, you know!" His fur bristled, and he glared at the young warrior.

Birchfall stepped back, then blinked. "Are you okay, Molepaw? You don't look like you're feeling well."

"I told you, I'm fine!" the apprentice snapped. Suddenly a sharp pain made him cringe. Molepaw shut his eyes, and after a few moments it subsided. Gasping, the young tom glanced up to see Sandstorm and Birchfall watching him curiously. Molepaw looked down at the ground. "My stomach hurts," he mumbled.

"Enough that you don't want to eat?" mused Sandstorm. She flicked his back lightly with her tail. "For how long has it ached?"

"A few days," Molepaw admitted. "Not very badly though, until this morning."

"Why didn't you see Leafpool?" asked the ginger she-cat. "She could have given you some berries and herbs to help you feel better."

"Yeah." The apprentice sighed. "But she's so busy trying to help Mothwing since that disease broke out in RiverClan. I didn't want to make her even more tired."

Sandstorm glanced at Birchfall. "Medicine cats are meant to heal, Molepaw. It's what they do, as well as interpret signs from StarClan. The reason we have a medicine cat is to help cats when they feel sick." Her green eyes had a flicker of worry in them. "Plus, it's the RiverClan disease that I'm worried about."

"What?" Molepaw cocked his head to one side. "I don't have a disease, I have a stomachache!"

"All the same… Molepaw, just go see Leafpool, and she can help you."

"All right, all right," Molepaw muttered. "It's nothing big, though. Seriously." Grumbling he padded across the camp to Leafpool's den.

The medicine cat was sorting herbs in the back of the cave, but at Molepaw's pawsteps she turned around. "Molepaw! What is it?"

"Sandstorm sent me over here because my belly hurts," the apprentice meowed. "She said that you would give me some herbs."

Leafpool frowned, putting down a pile of leaves. "Your stomach hurts? How badly?"

"Not much until today. It started a few days ago, but it wasn't very painful."

"Have you hurt anywhere else? Have you noticed anything strange? Say… not sleeping well, not eating a lot… stuff like that?"

"Um… That's one of the reasons why Sandstorm sent me to you. I hurt to much to eat."

"Oh StarClan…" Leafpool disappeared into the back of the den and returned with a pawful of berries. "Here, have these."

Molepaw eyed the small red shapes distastefully. "What? Why? Are they going to help?"

The she-cat stared at him. "No, Molepaw. I'm giving you these berries for no reason at all. _Think,_ mouse-brain! Of course they're going to help!"

"Fine," sighed Molepaw, taking the berries. As he turned away, he saw Leafpool glance at him again. This time her eyes were filled with concern. _Why? It's just an ache. It'll go away._ Shrugging, he padded away from the medicine cat den.

The young tom wandered across the camp until he was by the apprentices' den. He sat down and sniffed the berries, then reluctantly picked one up and chewed it._ At least it's not _too_ horrible._ Molepaw quickly swallowed the rest of the herbs.

"Did Leafpool give you some berries?" asked a voice. Molepaw looked up to see his sister Honeypaw padding towards him.

"Yeah. I had a stomachache."

"Really? Wasn't that one of the symptoms of the RiverClan sickness?"

Honeypaw's meow had been thoughtful, not worried, but to Molepaw it held a different meaning. He felt a chill and his fur bristled.

"Nothing to worry about, I'm sure," Honeypaw added hastily. "Every cat has a belly ache from time to time."

Molepaw was about to reply when he felt a sharp pain in his side. The apprentice gasped and unwillingly curled up, moaning. He tensed, and coughed harshly, which made him hurt even more. Whimpering, the tom coughed again and again, until he couldn't breathe.

Honeypaw backed away. "Molepaw! Are you-?" She spun around and ran towards Leafpool's den. "Leafpool! Leafpool!"

Molepaw choked for air, and finally he got rasping breaths. He noticed shadows all around, and realized that they were cats.

"Bring him to my den!" Leafpool was ordering. Molepaw felt himself being lifted off the ground and pain shot through him again. As the cats set him down he felt a jerk in his stomach and he threw up.

"Molepaw!" Sorreltail was right next to him. "Molepaw!"

"Sorreltail, you need to leave," Leafpool meowed. "Please. He needs rest and herbs, and I don't want any other cats to get sick." Molepaw stiffened. So his suspicions were right…

"Leafpool," he groaned.

"Be quiet. You need to save your strength. Here, eat these herbs. They'll help." Turning away she muttered, "At least, I hope so."

"You hope so?" Molepaw felt a shudder run down his spine, and he guessed that he wasn't supposed to hear that. "Leafpool – what do you think is wrong?" The medicine cat was silent, focusing very intently on a stem of watermint. "Leafpool!"

Still no answer.

Molepaw's voice dropped to a whisper. "It's the RiverClan sickness, isn't it?" He coughed.

Her tail drooped. "I was afraid this would happen. I spent so much time in RiverClan territory trying to help, I knew that there would be a problem."

"How many cats died, Leafpool? Tell me." Molepaw stood, frozen in the medicine cat's den. He needed to know how deadly the disease was.

"Five. But at least six survived after they were infected. The herbs worked!" Leafpool's amber eyes were wide. "I wished that the sickness wouldn't get into ThunderClan. But with all the time I spent there, I knew that some cat would get sick eventually. Molepaw, why didn't you tell me before, when your stomach didn't hurt as much?"

"I didn't want to disturb you," mumbled Molepaw. A sudden thought entered his mind, and his meow quavered. "D-does this mean that you can't help me, since I didn't tell you?"

Leafpool spun around. "I _can_ heal you! It worked on Reedwhisker and Mistyfoot, and all of the others! All I need are the same herbs." She seemed to be trying to convince herself as much as him. "Eat those leaves I gave you. Now."

Molepaw reached out for the herbs, but he was too weak to grasp them. Leafpool shoved them in front of his muzzle. "_Hurry_."

The urgency in her voice was clear. Molepaw looked at the assorted leaves and berries, and brought one to his mouth. Suddenly he coughed again, and the fur along his spine rose in pain.

Leafpool was at his side in an instant. "Molepaw! Please eat!" She pushed a few leaves into his jaws, and Molepaw swallowed agonizingly. The den was swimming in front of his eyes, and his coughing fit took his breath away. Gasping for air, the apprentice rolled over. He choked and was sick; the healing herbs were there, mixed with a red tinted mucus.

"No!" hissed Leafpool. Probably she had seen this happen to RiverClan cats right before they had joined StarClan. "I can help you! You can't…"

_Die,_ Molepaw guessed. Too late for that. Black shadows were swarming around him, threatening to flood his mind. It felt like the air itself was pressing down on him, suffocating him. He wheezed and was dimly aware of Leafpool holding herbs up to his muzzle, and felt his back being licked repetitively. _Sorreltail_?

"Molepaw!" Leafpool buried her muzzle in his fur. "Fight it, Molepaw. The sickness will go away!"

_Not now._ Surprisingly he didn't care; didn't care that he was dieing. _Why? I should be scared… or something._ But he felt calm. Molepaw noticed the meows growing fainter as the shadows closed in, until they were almost gone.

Then the darkness swamped him, and the pain and weakness dulled as a whirlpool of purple and black filled the void and pulled him down.

**Sadness... so many cats die in Warriors. **

**And you get to vote for the next ones! There are some new cats, so I typed up the list again.**

**Lionheart, Stonefur, Yellowfang, Feathertail, Sootfur, Talonpaw, Silverstream and Tigerstar. **

** Please review! **


	15. Lionheart

**Hi! I have 100 reviews!! -confetti blows through the air- That means that this fanfic has the most reviews out of all of my stories! So thanks to everyone who has ever reviewed because you helped the number go to 100!**

**I am going to camp (again) for a week (it's a different camp) so I can't post anything until I get back. Anyway, vote! You can vote for any of the cats I wrote before and I'm adding Bluestar to that list, so you can vote for her too.**

Lionheart blinked as Runningwind crouched beside him. "Do you hear that?"

"What? Hear what?" The warrior chewed on a mouse thoughtfully. "You hear something?"

"Yes." Lionheart cocked his head to one side. "A branch snapping, I think. And cats' voices. It was in the distance."

Runningwind glanced at him. "It's probably Bluestar coming back from her visit to the Moonstone. Lucky for Firepaw, Graypaw and Ravenpaw! I remember when I went to Mothermouth." He stared off into space, his eyes glazed over from a memory.

"I remember that too," Lionheart murmured. "I went right before I got my warrior name."

"And now you're deputy!" Runningwind finished his mouse. "Just don't say it around Tigerclaw! He's been acting kind of angry ever since Bluestar chose you. I heard Firepaw and Graypaw talking about it."

"Speaking of Bluestar, if that sound was the patrol, wouldn't they have come to the camp?"

Runningwind stared. "For StarClan's sake, you're too suspicious of everything!"

"It's because of ShadowClan," Lionheart admitted. "Really, they drove WindClan away! How can Brokenstar do that? There have always been four Clans in the forest!"

"Yes," hissed Runningwind, his fur bristling. "I wish Bluestar would let us attack him and be done with it."

"Right. I-" Lionheart's head swiveled around. "_There!_ I heard it again!

"Lionheart," growled Runningwind. "It's a branch falling, or prey scurrying, or something. It doesn't matter."

"Still, I want to go see," meowed Lionheart. "I just want to make sure that there's not some badger or fox or rogue cat." His tail lashed the air defiantly.

"All right," Runningwind sighed. "But I'm telling you, there's nothing to worry about!" He stood up and followed Lionheart across the camp.

After padding through the gorse tunnel, Lionheart lifted his muzzle to scent the air. "No good. The wind's blowing towards the place where I heard the sound. I can't smell anything." He shrugged. "Come on. Let's look."

"What? Look for something that isn't there?" Runningwind opened his mouth to say more, then froze. "Wait – I heard something, too."

"Yes," hissed Lionheart. "I _told_ you." He crept forward. "I want to see what it is."

"And I told _you_, I still think it's just a mouse or something."

"Not so loud," whispered Lionheart.

"For StarClan's sake, there's nothing there!" The tom grumbled something that Lionheart didn't catch. The golden-furred deputy sighed, then started running through the forest.

"Hey! Wait up!" Runningwind called out. Lionheart slowed down until Runningwind had caught up to him. "What are you doing?"

"This is where I heard the voices," muttered Lionheart. As he spoke, a twig snapped. His eyes flashed, and he spun around. "Who there?"

The tabby felt Runningwind tense next to him as he stuck his head through some ferns. Suddenly a soft voice just beyond the plants hissed, "When are we going to move?"

"Soon!" snapped another cat. "And stop yowling, some cat will hear you!"

_Too late,_ thought Lionheart. Then he recognized the second voice. He glanced at Runningwind, and saw alarm on the tom's face. "Brokenstar," he mouthed. "ShadowClan is just behind these ferns." Looking through he leafy fronds again, he spotted the intruders and felt his fur bristle. He could have reached out and touched the nearest cat with his paw.

Runningwind quivered. "Let me see." He took step forward – and dry leaves rustled under his paws. The tom flinched, panic blazing in his eyes.

Brokenstar growled.

Runningwind gulped. "Oh. StarClan."

A massive white tom near the head looked up and saw them. His eyes widened. "ThunderClan cats!" he howled.

Brokenstar gave a caterwaul. "ShadowClan, attack!!"

"Run!" screeched Runningwind. Lionheart didn't need to be told; he was already bolting away. Breaking branches and pounding footfalls told him that ShadowClan was right behind him.

The gorse tunnel loomed up ahead. Putting on a final burst of speed, the ThunderClan deputy darted down the tunnel, nearly knocking over Sandpaw, who was at the other side of the tunnel.

"Quick!" Lionheart yowled as cats stuck their heads out of their dens. "ShadowClan is attacking!"

Just then Brokenstar and the white tom, Blackfoot, crashed out of the tunnel. Sandpaw shouted and reeled back as Blackfoot turned to swipe at her.

ThunderClan warriors ran from the dens as more ShadowClan cats poured through the tunnel. Lionheart spotted Whitestorm leap at a sleek tabby just before a wiry she-cat jumped at him.

Lionheart whipped to the side and the she-cat skidded on the ground. Growling, the deputy turned and sunk his claws into the back of the cat's neck. She snarled and lashed back with her claws, hitting Lionheart's muzzle. He staggered back, stunned, and the she-cat spun around to launch herself at him.

A gray shape sprang from the side of the camp, slamming into the ShadowClan warrior. Lionheart blinked. "Dustpaw!" The apprentice bit down on the she-cat's tail as Lionheart stood and slashed at her face. Finally she tore herself free and fled from the battle.

"Run away!" Dustpaw cried after her. Lionheart nodded his thanks to the young tabby, then looked around to see where he could help the most.

A glimmer of red caught his eye. Lionheart turned just as a tom called Clawface ripped through the fur on Willowpelt's back. The queen screeched as blood poured from her wound.

"Stupid mousebrain!" Lionheart shouted. Clawface's head spun towards him, and Lionheart leaped. He careened into the brown warrior and threw him off of Willowpelt. The she-cat gasped and staggered away.

Clawface growled. "Hello, Lionheart." He raised one paw, and Lionheart dodged it only to be struck by the ShadowClan tom's other foot. Winded, the deputy fell back.

"How does it feel to be powerless?" asked Clawface. "How does it feel to know that I will kill you?"

"A warrior shouldn't kill without need," grunted Lionheart, gasping for air as Clawface pressed him into the dirt.

"So honorable," jeered Clawface. "Well, I-" He was cut off as a battle yowl echoed outside the camp. Lionheart glanced up to see Bluestar, Tigerclaw, Firepaw, Graypaw and Ravenpaw streak out of the gorse tunnel and join the fight.

Brokenstar yowled. "There are too many of them! ShadowClan, retreat!" He ran off.

"Some leader you have, huh?" asked Lionheart.

Clawface glared down at him with fury in his eyes. "ThunderClan scum," he hissed as one by one the other ShadowClan cats followed their leader. Without warning he slashed down with outstretched claws.

Lionheart jerked, unprepared for the last attack. The claws ripped through his throat and he screeched. Clawface growled in triumph, then his eyes widened in fear and he darted off as a blue-gray shape sprang at him. _Bluestar,_ thought Lionheart. _I wish you had come sooner._

Shapes crowded around him. "Lionheart?" Spottedleaf ran up to him. "Lionheart, don't go."

A high-pitched wail cut through the air, and a small furry gray body was at his side. "Lionheart!"

_Graypaw?_ Lionheart was surrounded by a pool of red, and his vision was hazy.

Spottedleaf sensed what he felt. "I can't help Lionheart now," she whispered. "He is on his way to join StarClan."

_No… not yet._ Lionheart twitched, and Graypaw pressed his nose into his mentor's fur. A glint of gold flickered, and the deputy opened one eye. The sun was setting behind the trees. Soon it would be gone, and only darkness would replace it, as black licked at his vision now.

He felt himself still. The sky gleamed a fiery red-orange as the sun disappeared behind the horizon, but he could barely see it. Everything darkened. Dimly, far away, Graypaw cried something out.

A thought flickered through Lionheart's mind. _I'm sinking like the sun._ Then the black pulled him down, and he fell into the sky.


	16. Bluestar

**Vote! Not very many people voted. Anyway now I'm doing Bluestar and next will be Stonefur. Remember, review and vote for the cats! The list is at the bottom of the page, or you can vote for a different cat that you come up with.**_  
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Why is StarClan so angry with me? Why are they punishing my Clan like this? And why is ThunderClan full of traitors?_

The blue-gray queen's ear twitched as a cat looked into her den. The thoughts were pushed to the back of her mind and she stopped grooming her fur as a familiar scent washed over her. "Yes, Fireheart? What is it?"

The rusty-furred tom padded up to her. "Bluestar, we have discovered the truth about the evil in the forest," he meowed. "We know what the 'pack' is." Bluestar's blue eyes widened as he continued. "There are dogs living at Snakerocks. Not like the ones that live with Twolegs, these are gigantic. Tigerstar laid a trail of dead rabbits from Snakerocks to the camp, so the dogs would follow the path here. And at the end of the path was a dead cat." His fur bristled. "It was Brindleface. Tigerstar wanted the dog pack to get a taste for cat blood. He wants the dogs to destroy ThunderClan."

"So Brindleface is dead," whispered Bluestar. She stared off into the distance. "The rest of the Clan will follow her," she continued bitterly. ""StarClan have sent Tigerstar to destroy us. They will not help us now."

"Maybe not, Bluestar, but we're not going to give in," Fireheart meowed hurriedly. "You must lead the Clan to Sunningrocks."

_What's the point, Fireheart?_ Bluestar wondered. "What good will it do? The Clan can't live at Sunningrocks, and even there the pack will hunt us down."

"If my plan works, you won't be there for long. Listen." Fireheart shifted from paw to paw. "I'm taking some other cats with me – Sandstorm, Graystripe, Mousefur, Longtail, Dustpelt, Ashpaw and Fernpaw. We're going to bring the dogs to the gorge in RiverClan territory and drown them. The rest of the Clan will wait at Sunningrocks to stay safe."

"So you want me to go to Sunningrocks like an elder," spat Bluestar. She shook herself. _I can help, although it will do nothing against StarClan's wrath. But I am the leader! _I_ will help ThunderClan! I will not act like some old cat who can't care for herself!_

"Like a leader," the deputy insisted. "Without you there, the Clan will panic and scatter. They need you to hold them together. Besides, don't forget that this is your last life. If you lost it, what would the Clan do without you?"

Bluestar hesitated. _I suppose…_ "Very well," she meowed reluctantly.

Fireheart dipped his head. "Then we should go now."

Bluestar nodded and led the way out of the den. All of the ThunderClan cats were gathered near the entrance to the camp, and Fireheart ran over to them. Bluestar joined the group, and the other cats greeted her anxiously.

"Ready?" asked Fireheart. "Good." He signaled to the cats chosen to lead the dogs to the gorge. Quickly the patrol assembled.

"We should go to Sunningrocks now," a voice murmured in her ear. Bluestar spun around to see Whitestorm.

"Yes," the leader agreed. Shaky but determined she padded at the head of the group out into the forest. The cats followed her, and Bluestar could smell the fear-scent on every single one. It made her almost panic, but she forced herself to remain calm. _Even if we're all going to die, and even if they're all traitors, I can't let them lose control._

"We're here," Whitestorm's gentle purr told her.

Bluestar blinked up. She had been so lost in her thoughts that she hadn't realized that the Clan had arrived at Sunningrocks. Doubts flooded back into her mind. _The dogs will kill us all… StarClan is working with Tigerstar against me…they're all rogues and traitors, they don't deserve to live._

Whitestorm turned away. Bluestar stared at him in disgust. _How could he just leave me like that?_ Then she saw the senior warrior was picking one of Willowpelt's kits. Something softened inside of the leader, and she glanced around. Up ahead Cloudtail was helping Lostface to safety. The injured she-cat leaned gratefully on the white long-furred tom. The apprentices were urging the elders on, and all the warriors were encouraging their Clanmates. The strong were helping the weak; the healthy were guiding the sick.

Suddenly everything was clear again.

Only Tigerstar was a traitor. StarClan had not abandoned them.

She had to help Fireheart.

"StarClan, forgive me," Bluestar whispered. Emotions were swamping her, and strongest of all was the feeling that she couldn't sit around and hope that the dog pack really was defeated. She had to fight.

Staring around, Bluestar saw that Whitestorm's back was turned. She knew that he was trying to keep her safe, but now she had to go to Fireheart. Stealthily she bolted off, past Sunningrocks and towards the gorge.

The forest was silent, and it scared her. Where were the dogs? Shouldn't they be crashing through the trees, barking as they chased the cats?

_What if some cat was caught?_

The thought gave the leader an extra burst of speed. Suddenly, in the distance, an excited yelping filled the air. Bluestar hissed and ran even faster towards the sound. Soon the roar of the river could be heard as well.

Then there was a triumphant yowl that chilled Bluestar's blood. She sprang forward and burst through the undergrowth just as a ginger colored body was lifted into the air by a dog's dripping fangs.

"StarClan help me!" cried the cat.

"Fireheart!" screeched Bluestar. She rammed into the side of the dog. It jerked and loosened its grip on the tom, and Fireheart was flung to the ground. The dog was thrown to the edge of the gorge, and it scrabbled for a hold on the ground, whining. The dirt crumbled and fell away beneath its paws. Bluestar jumped back as the huge creature lunged for her, but the snapping jaws closed on her leg. She yowled as it slipped back and pulled her off the edge of the cliff.

For a moment the air screamed past her. Then she slammed into the surface of the river with the dog still holding on to her limb. At impact it let go, thrashing its paws wildly. Then it sank beneath the surface. Two other dogs had fallen in as well, and they howled as the icy cold water swallowed them up.

Bluestar choked as the river tried to pull her down. Foam and churning water was all around, and she couldn't see or hear anything. Gasping, the blue-gray queen gulped in air, then was sucked down.

The freezing water surrounded her, numbing her body and mind. It slammed her against a rock, bringing her out of the river temporarily. Bluestar struggled to breathe as the current tugged at her and she was pulled underneath the surface again.

Suddenly strong teeth met in her scruff. Bluestar flailed out and tried to swim up, but the water was too cold, she couldn't move.

A shadow fell over her, and she knew that she had passed under the Twoleg bridge. The cat grasping her kicked out, but the flow was too strong. Darkness swirled around her as she sank even more…

Then a cat was on her other side, keeping her up. A voice meowed nearby. "Let go. We've got her now."

_Stonefur! My kit!_ She knew that Mistyfoot was there, too, and felt the first cat let her go. Bluestar was dragged onto the shore. She tried to speak and move, but choked on a mouthful of water. It trickled from her jaws.

"Bluestar!" cried Mistyfoot.

"Is she dead?" asked another cat. _Fireheart! _You_ leaped into the river to save me,_ Bluestar thought.

"I think she-"

"Fireheart! Fireheart! Watch out!" _Graystripe?_ Bluestar struggled to move her eyes but her body wouldn't obey her.

"Tigerstar!" Graystripe snarled. "Keep back! Don't touch them!" Fireheart jumped away to stand beside his friend, and Bluestar shuddered, taking a hoarse breath.

Mistyfoot gasped. "Fireheart! She's alive!"

Fireheart growled, presumably at Tigerstar. ""Take one step closer, and I'll throw you in the river with the dogs. Graystripe, make him stay back." He was at Bluestar's side again. "Bluestar? Bluestar, it's Fireheart. You're all right now. You're safe."

Suddenly she could move again. Painfully her eyes opened. "You saved me," Bluestar rasped.

"Shh, don't try to talk," Mistyfoot murmured.

Bluestar blinked back tears. These were her kits! "I want to tell you something… I want to ask you to forgive me for sending you away. Oakheart promised me that Graypool would be a good mother to you."

Stonefur blinked. "She was," he meowed.

"I owe Graypool so much," Bluestar continued. "Oakheart too, for mentoring you so well. I watched you as you grew up, and I saw how much you gave to the Clan who adopted you." She shivered violently; the cold was sinking into her body, dulling her senses. "If I had made a different choice you would have given all your strength to ThunderClan. Forgive me."

She saw the RiverClan warriors hesitate, and she willed them to understand. _I had to do it._

"She suffered a lot of pain for her choice," Fireheart whispered. "Please forgive her."

Mistyfoot and Stonefur exchanged a glance. Then Mistyfoot crouched down. "We forgive you, Bluestar."

"We forgive you," Stonefur echoed.

Bluestar looked up at the two strong warrior and began to purr.

Suddenly there was a hiss. Fireheart tensed and stared at the place where the sound had come from. "Don't come any nearer Tigerstar. This has nothing to do with you."

The chill was spreading through Bluestar's body even more now, and her breathes came faster. She started to close her eyes.

"Bluestar!" Fireheart turned to Mistyfoot. "What can we do? This is her last life, and she'll never make it back to the ThunderClan camp. Will one of you go and get your medicine cat?"

"It too late for that," murmured Stonefur softly. "She is on her way to StarClan."

_StarClan? If they forgive me. But they will._

"No!" cried Fireheart. He pressed his muzzle into Bluestar's fur. "Bluestar – Bluestar, wake up! We'll get help for you – hold on just a little longer!"

_Help?_thought Bluestar._ Stonefur is right, Fireheart. I'm dieing. I know it. But I didn't think losing my last life would be like _this The ThunderClan leader's eyes fluttered open. She blinked. Instead of one ginger furred cat crouching in front of her, there were two. And she recognized the new cat.

"Oakheart," she breathed. "Have you come for me?" I'm ready."

The RiverClan tom dipped his head. "Bluestar." His pelt was filled with starlight. Bluestar could see it even in the light from the sun.

"No!" wailed Fireheart. "Bluestar, don't leave us!"

Bluestar shifted her gaze from Oakheart. "I must," she rasped. "I have fought my last battle. When I saw the Clan at Sunningrocks, the strong helping the weak, and I knew you and the others had gone to confront the pack… I knew my Clan was loyal. I knew StarClan had not turned their backs on us." She coughed. "I knew that I could not leave you to face the danger alone."

Oakheart took a step forward. "We must go," he murmured. Bluestar glanced at him again.

"Bluestar…" Fireheart's voice quavered.

The blue-gray she-cat looked back at the young deputy. "Fire alone will save the Clan," she whispered. "You never understood, did you? Not even when I gave you your apprentice name, Firepaw. I doubted it myself, when fire raged through our camp. But I see the truth now. Fireheart, you are the fire who will save ThunderClan." Even as she spoke she knew she was right. She was leaving the Clan in good paws.

Just then a shaft of sunlight struck Fireheart's fur. It looked as though he was covered in flame. "Yes," breathed Bluestar. "You will be a great leader, one of the greatest the forest has ever known. You will have the warmth of fire to protect your Clan and the fierceness of fire you defend it. You will be Firestar, the light of ThunderClan."

_There._

Bluestar closed her icy blue eyes. They snapped open again as a tail flicked her flank. The queen stared up to see Oakheart standing over her. "Now," he meowed. "StarClan waits."

"No!" a voice in the distance protested. "I can't! Not without you, Bluestar."

Fireheart appeared in front of her for a moment. Bluestar sighed softly. "Firestar," she whispered as her vision darkened and left only Oakheart. "Yes." She looked at the RiverClan tom and he beckoned her with his tail. "Good bye, Firestar," Bluestar mewed, and leaped after her mate.

**Okay! Please review! Yep I'm going to keep saying it no matter what.**

**The cats you can vote for are Yellowfang, Silverstream, Talonpaw, Sootfur, Tigerstar, Feathertail or Tallstar, or another cat that you come up with. And... (drumroll) ... REVIEW! See, I did say it again.**


	17. Stonefur

**The cover for Dark River is really weird. You can see it at Wikipedia (evil encyclopedia, you usually can't trust it) if you search for warriors. Also the third book is going to be called Outcast! Or did everyone already know that? **

**Disclaimer: Hey, this is the first time I've ever done a disclaimer! Weird. –looks around- Yeah… I'm not Erin Hunter, any of the three people she is, although I desperately want to know if they're reading this! They were on a chat thing at and they said that they had read some of the fanfics and liked them, only I wasn't there to ask them which ones they've read , so I've become obsessed with trying to figure out if they read any of my stories (if they are... hi!!) –blinks- Wait – are you still reading this? Sorry. On to the chapter, then…**

"Come on, come on, the grass is growing while we wait!"

Stonefur blinked his eyes open and breathed in. The pungent scent of ShadowClan filled his head. Choking, he stood up. "Where are you taking me?"

A lean ShadowClan warrior prodded him in the side. "Tigerstar wants to see you," he growled.

"Oh, wonderful." Stonefur tried to act non-chalant but inside he was scared. _What does Tigerstar want with me?_ Tigerstar was ruthless and cruel.

"Get the apprentices!" the ShadowClan tom spat. Another dark-furred warrior entered the prison, stalking over to Featherpaw and Stormpaw. The two young cats bolted up. "Where are you taking us?"

The tom laughed. "Well, you'll find that out, won't you?"

"To Tigerstar," Stonefur murmured to his apprentice. Stormpaw shuddered and glanced at his sister.

"Don't take all day! Tigerstar doesn't like to be kept waiting." The first ShadowClan warrior turned away, and the second one shoved the three prisoners towards the entrance to the den.

Stonefur blinked in the bright sunlight. He felt Stormpaw and Featherpaw flinch beside him as a shaft of bright light hit their eyes. The reek of crow-food wafted to them on a breeze, and the RiverClan tom wrinkled his nose.

"Hurry up!" snarled the ShadowClan cat. "Oakfur – make them move!"

The second warrior, Oakfur, nodded and pushed Stonefur away from the den. "What about the other one, Jaggedtooth?"

"We don't need her yet," growled Jaggedtooth. "Tigerstar only asked for these three."

_Mistyfoot. They're talking about Mistyfoot._ "Get away!" hissed Stonefur. "I won't go without my sister!"

"I doubt that she'd thank you for it." The tom nodded to Oakfur. Oakfur moved aside, and the Jaggedtooth thrust the captives forward into the center of the RiverClan camp. Stonefur blinked. Something was different; there was a huge white pile in the clearing. Just then a dark tabby shape leaped onto the hill. Stonefur froze as he saw that the hill was made of bones.

"Cats of TigerClan, gather here around the Bonehill for a Clan meeting!" Tigerstar stared down from the top of the collection of bones. On one side of the hill was Blackfoot, the ShadowClan deputy, and on the other side, Leopardstar.

Instantly the other cats in the clearing approached the hill. More appeared from the dens and undergrowth. Tigerstar sat calmly until all the warriors had settled down. Then he raise his head and yowled, "It is time for the trail to begin! Fetch the prisoners!"

Jaggedtooth pushed Stonefur forward again. The RiverClan tom staggered ahead, realizing that he was weak from being stuck in a small den without any food or water. Oakfur was behind Jaggedtooth, shepherding Featherpaw and Stormpaw to the Bonehill.

Tigerstar's eyes gleamed menacingly as Stonefur crouched lower. Jaggedtooth gave him a final shove, then joined the ring of cats sitting around the Bonehill. Oakfur did the same.

"Cats of TigerClan," Tigerstar began. "You all know the hardships that we have to face. The cold of leaf-bare threatens us. Twolegs threaten us. The other two Clans in the forest, who have not yet realized the wisdom of joining with TigerClan, are a threat to us." He paused to glower at the three captives. Stonefur hissed.

With a smirk, the dark tabby continued. "Surrounded as we are by enemies, we must be sure of the loyalty of our own warriors. There is no room in TigerClan for the half-hearted. No room for cats who might waver in battle, or worse still, turn on their own Clanmates. TigerClan will not tolerate traitors!"

The cats watching yowled their agreement. Featherpaw gasped, and Stonefur felt a sense of dread growing in side of him. _Of course we're not traitors! Leopardstar could tell any cat that! I've been her deputy since she became leader!_ But of course Tigerstar would not care.

The TigerClan leader waved his tail for silence, "Especially we will not tolerate the abomination of half-Clan cats. No _loyal_ warrior would ever take a mate from another Clan, diluting the pure blood that our warrior ancestors decreed for us. Bluestar and Graystripe of ThunderClan both flouted the warrior code when they took mates from RiverClan. The kits of such a union, like the ones you see in front of you now, can never be trusted!"

He stopped to stare around, and Blackfoot yowled. "Filth! Filth! Filth!" A dark gray tabby took up the cry, and in a matter of heartbeats the camp was ringing with the chant. Stonefur shrank back from the hate he felt from the cats he had lived with all his life. _How can they do this?_ He felt betrayed. Anger pulsed inside of him, flaring up and lending him strength as he glared at Tigerstar with defiance. Stormpaw and Featherpaw drew close together, then flattened themselves to the ground.

After a while the cheering cats fell silent. Tigerstar sneered in triumph. "Half-Clan cats have been tolerated until now, but that time has passed! There is no place in TigerClan for warriors who owe allegiance to two Clans. How can we trust them not to betray our secrets, or even turn on us and kill us? Can we expect StarClan to fight on our side if we allow those who are not pure in heart and blood to walk freely among us?"

"No!" the dark gray tabby screeched. With a jolt, Stonefur recognized him as Darkstripe. _But isn't he from ThunderClan?_

"No, my friends!" shouted Tigerstar. "We must get rid of the abominations in our midst! Then our Clan will be clean again and we can be sure of the favor of StarClan!"

That was it. Stonefur sprang to his paws, almost falling over in the process. Dignified, he regained his balance. "No cat has _ever_ questioned my loyalty!" he spat. "Come down here and tell me to my face that I'm a traitor! Mistyfoot and I never even knew that Bluestar was our mother until a couple of moons ago. We have been loyal RiverClan warriors all our lives. Let any cat who thinks different come out here and prove it!" He panted after he finished.

Tigerstar turned angrily towards Leopardstar. "You showed poor judgment when you chose this cat for your deputy," he snarled. "RiverClan is choked by the weeds of treachery, and we must root them out!"

Stonefur watched his leader, willing her to speak out against Tigerstar. Instead she just bowed her head. Tigerstar snorted. "All right, Stonefur. I will give you a chance to show your loyalty. Kill these two half-Clan apprentices."

Stonefur stared at him for a moment, mouth agape. _He's got to be joking. No – Tigerstar doesn't joke._ Silence spread throughout the camp. Featherpaw tensed and shrank away from the RiverClan tom slowly. Stormpaw moved to her side.

Stonefur faced Leopardstar. "I take orders from _you_," he growled. "You know this I wrong. What do you want me to do?"

Leopardstar hesitated, uncertain. Then she dipped her head. "These are difficult times. As we fight for survival we must be able to count on every one of our Clanmates. There is no room for divided loyalties. Do as Tigerstar tells you."

Stonefur glared up into her cold eyes, then turned to the two apprentices. They backed away from him, terror blazing in their eyes. Stormpaw licked his sister. "We'll fight him," he whispered. "I won't let him kill us."

Despite everything, Stonefur felt a glow of pride for his apprentice. He nodded to Stormpaw, approving of his courage, then looked back at Tigerstar. "You'll have to kill me first, Tigerstar!" he hissed.

Tigerstar held his gaze for a moment, then flicked his tail at Darkstripe. "Very well. Kill him."

Stonefur blinked – then Darkstripe had lunged forward, and the whole world was made of claws and teeth. Immediately the RiverClan warrior dropped back to slash at Darkstripe with all four paws. His claws ripped at the tom's fur, and Darkstripe growled. He crouched down, then hurled himself at Stonefur again.

The two cats tumbled across the camp in a ball of fur and claws. The watching cats scrambled away from the fight, their eyes still fixed on Stonefur and Darkstripe. Stonefur snapped his teeth together and they met in Darkstripe's scruff. The dark tabby gave a howl of pain and threw his attacker off. Stonefur sprang away, breathing heavily. He shook a forepaw, scattering scarlet drops of blood.

"Get a move on, Darkstripe!" Blackfoot jeered. "You're fighting like a kittypet!"

Hissing with rage Darkstripe leaped, but Stonefur was ready for the attack. He whipped to the side, raking his claws down Darkstripe's side and slashing his back leg as the former ThunderClan cat skidded by. Fueled by fury, he bowled Darkstripe over, digging his talons and teeth into the cat's exposed neck.

Tigerstar growled as he saw Darkstripe struggling vainly to break free. He flicked his ears at Blackfoot. "Finish it."

Blackfoot snarled victoriously and flung himself into the battle. Stonefur cried out in agony as the ShadowClan deputy bit down hard on his shoulder, dragging him away from Darkstripe. The gray-furred RiverClan tom flailed wildly as he felt himself being pushed into the dirt.

Darkstripe hissed and held Stonefur's legs down as Blackfoot leered at him. "Nice fighting, crowfood," he scoffed, and slashed his claws through Stonefur's throat.

Red bubbled up from the gash as Stonefur choked. He gave a gurgling cry and the TigerClan cats released him. A wail rose from the crowd, which turned into a yowl of triumph. Featherpaw and Stormpaw stared down as Stonefur jerked on the ground. Blood welled up on his neck. The silver and gray of the apprentices' pelts and the stormy sky swirled around him. A thin trickle of scarlet came from his mouth as he felt his body go limp.

Then the silvery-gray swirled around, swamping him in nothingness.


	18. Talonpaw

The apprentice tasted the air as he stepped out of the camp. The scent of squirrel was strong, and his paws tingled with excitement. _My first solo hunting assessment!_

A cat scent wafted towards him, and he spun around. Tawnypelt, a strong tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes, padded out of the camp entrance and walked towards him.

"Hi, Talonpaw," she mewed. "Going hunting?"

"Yes!" Talonpaw meowed proudly. "Rowanclaw wants to see if I can do well by myself."

"Good luck!" Tawnypelt called as she bounded off. Talonpaw flicked his tail happily. Today he'd prove that he could become a ShadowClan warrior! Maybe Rowanclaw would be so impressed that he'd ask Blackstar to invite Talonpaw to the next Gathering!

Talonpaw was so excited that he nearly crashed into his mentor as he ran around a bramble bush.

"Hey, slow down!" growled Rowanclaw, cuffing the side of Talonpaw's head good-naturedly. Talonpaw rolled with the blow and sprang up onto his feet, knocking Rowanclaw to the side. In a quick movement he pinned the tom down.

"Good job!" panted Rowanclaw, standing up as his apprentice released him. "You're becoming a better fighter every day! I didn't see that coming!"

Talonpaw purred happily.

Rowanclaw flicked his tail back and forth as he settled on the ground. "All right, are you ready to go on your hunting assessment?" he asked.

"Yes!" Talonpaw jumped up. "I'll bring back loads of prey! I'll-"

"Good, then start!" meowed Rowanclaw. Talonpaw shot away into the undergrowth with his mentor calling after him, "And remember, I'll be watching you!"

_Then I'll prove just how good I am!_ thought Talonpaw. He slowed down and tasted the air.

Squirrel! Talonpaw instinctively dropped into a hunter's crouch, remembering what Rowanclaw had told him about catching squirrels. Silently he crept forward until he could see the creature under a tangle of thorn, nibbling at a seed. It didn't notice him and stepped out from under the shelter of the bracken. Triumphantly the apprentice leaped and bit down on the squirrel's neck. Then he buried the fresh-kill and padded on.

In a little while he had caught another squirrel and a mouse. Talonpaw stopped to rest in a shadowy clearing. Joy filled him as he imagined bringing all the prey into camp and leaving it on the fresh-kill pile while the other cats praised him for being such a good hunter.

Suddenly a stick snapped on the other side of the clearing. Talonpaw sat up quickly, straining to see movement, but there was none. Carefully he backed away under a low hanging pine bough, all the time watching the undergrowth for an animal. There was another rustle and Talonpaw's eyes widened as a scrawny tabby she-cat limped from a bush.

The cat collapsed in the center of the clearing, its sides heaving. Talonpaw froze, then took one step towards it. The tabby blinked up, locking his gaze with hers.

"Can you help me?" she croaked.

"Are you hurt?" Talonpaw asked, forgetting all caution and running to her side.

She shook her head. "No, just…"

Talonpaw cocked his head to one side. "What?"

The tabby opened her mouth to speak, then in a quick movement she leaped to her paws and barreled into Talonpaw. The ShadowClan apprentice yowled and was thrown onto the ground. Too late he saw the strong muscles rippling beneath the light-brown pelt. This cat was lean, not scrawny.

Angrily Talonpaw thrust up with his hind legs. With satisfaction he felt the she-cat reel back. _Good. I can beat her,_ he thought._ She can't even fight! _

Suddenly claws dug into his shoulder. Talonpaw lurched forward and broke free, then spun around to face his attacker. A massive black and white tomcat faced him, growling angrily.

"What are you doing on ShadowClan territory?" snarled Talonpaw, trying to sound braver than he felt.

The tom sneered at him. "And how're you gonna make us leave?"

Talonpaw hissed and leaped with claws outstretched, only to have the brown tabby jump forward and knock him away. The apprentice yowled as claws raked through his fur and he lashed out wildly.

"Feisty one," jeered the she-cat, pressing him down into the dirt. "What should we do with him, Jacques?"

The tom slashed his claws down Talonpaw's unprotected back. The young ShadowClan cat cried out.

The she-cat nodded. "I thought so."

She released Talonpaw and bit down on his flank. Talonpaw squirmed forward. Then the cats' scent reached him.

"You're kittypets!" he meowed in disgust.

The tom spat at him. "So?"

"You should be with your Twolegs!" Talonpaw snapped. "Not out here in the forest like _real_ Clan cats!"

The tabby crouched lower, her fur bristling. "We don't have to listen to you!"

Before Talonpaw realized it, she had bowled him over. Claws sliced his sides and fangs pricked the back of his neck. The apprentice flailed wildly but his paws only hit air. _Great StarClan, what will Rowanclaw say? I've been beaten by two kittypets!_ But kittypets were soft. They wouldn't kill him… right?

The tom crouched down so his mouth was right by Talonpaw's ear. "Now, we've told this to your warriors, and we'll tell you again. You cats, you shouldn't be here. You don't belong here. But since you ain't leavin' _our_ territory, we're going to fight back."

"Fight back? I've never seen you fight back while we were patrolling around your filthy Twoleg nest!"

Immediately Talonpaw knew he had said the wrong thing. The tom growled and bit down on the apprentice's ear. Talonpaw yowled and wrenched away, feeling blood oozing from the wound.

The light gray tabby slashed at him. Talonpaw stumbled away, but felt himself weakening. "Stop it!" he hissed. "Let me go!"

The tabby purred in amusement. "Oh, we will – once we use you to teach your Clan a lesson." Before Talonpaw could stop her she lashed out. Her claws sliced through his exposed throat.

The young tom staggered back, caught by surprise. A cry escaped him as blood welled up along the gash. The she-cat looked at him with disapproval. "I think that will teach them," she mewed with satisfaction, then turned tail and ran off.

Talonpaw snarled faintly. The tom laughed. "Bad luck, Clan cat." He followed the tabby and within a second they had disappeared.

Talonpaw felt himself grow light-headed. His wounds were deep, and the fur around them was already stained scarlet. _I need to get back to camp…_ The apprentice started to run, but that made the blood flow even faster from the cut on his throat.

Agony jolted through his body as he tripped and fell over a tree root. Talonpaw clawed at the ground in desperation as the sounds of the forest became a muffled buzz. He dragged himself forward, noticing with terror that every second his vision was a little bit dimmer.

The scent of blood confused Talonpaw so much that he barely smelled the familiar cat scent when he reached it. He blinked up and saw Cedarheart standing over him, mouth hanging open.

"Cedarheart? What are you doing?" Russetfur came running through the undergrowth. "Why are you-" She caught sight of Talonpaw and reeled back. "Great StarClan!" she gasped. "Cedarheart, get back to camp! Get Littlecloud, quick!" The deputy crouched by the apprentice's side. "Hold on, Talonpaw, Littlecloud's coming. You'll be fine."

Talonpaw's jaws gaped wide as he tried to gulp in air. "The kittypets… that Tawnypelt said the patrol met… they attacked me." He choked as the talking made his throat spurt blood. "They said… this was a lesson… so you'd know… what to expect… if you didn't leave."

Russetfur stared at him. "_They_ did this?"

"Yes." Talonpaw felt the pain from his wounds start to dull, and he welcomed the relief. Gratefully he closed his eyes.

"Talonpaw! Stay awake! For StarClan's sake, Littlecloud's coming!" Russetfur nudged him with her paws. "Talonpaw!"

"My apprentice! Where's my apprentice?" A cat crashed through the undergrowth. Talonpaw cracked his eyes open and saw that it was Rowanclaw. Cedarheart and Littlecloud staggered through the forest behind him.

Russetfur sat up. "Littlecloud, can you help him?"

The medicine cat stared at Talonpaw. "Who did this?" he whispered.

"Kittypets…" rasped Talonpaw. "They're cruel… they tricked me."

"Kittypets?" spat Rowanclaw. "I'll hunt them down! Come on, Talonpaw."

Littlecloud murmured something in his ear, and the warrior hissed. The medicine cat looked down at Talonpaw. "He's already on his way to StarClan."

_StarClan?_ Talonpaw tried to open his eyes but they wouldn't obey him. He jerked once and felt blood flow from the gashes all over his body. Sighing softly, he went limp.

"Littlecloud! Do something!" Russetfur shrieked.

Talonpaw didn't hear her. The world had already dimmed and faded into pale brown, just like the tabby's fur.

**Remember... review! And vote! I'm adding Scourge to the list of cats -cheers- Scourge is so awesome! Yea for Scourge! -crickets in background- um... okay. So... please review! **


	19. Scourge

**Yea for Scourge! He's awesome!**

Scourge saw the wiry brown she-cat running away from where he was hiding and knew she was going to tell her leader. The small black tom raised his single white paw, and the cats behind him stopped murmuring. Quickly they formed a line behind him, their eyes glinting in the dim light. Teeth hung menacingly from their collars, and some of them had sharpened dog's teeth reinforcing their own claws.

Satisfied, Scourge stepped through the bushes and into the clearing. He tasted the air, not surprised to scent many forest cats.

"I know you're there!" he called. "Come and give me your answer!" He padded to the base of the giant boulder that rested in the center of the four oaks and paused. Then he sat down with his paws tucked under him, waiting for the Clan leaders to appear.

The ginger tabby, Firestar, stalked from the edge to the clearing to meet him. The four Clans walked behind him, ready for battle. Scourge almost laughed at how foolish they were.

Once Firestar was close enough to speak to him, Scourge raised his head. "Greetings," he mewed. "Have you decided to leave? Or do you presume you can fight against BloodClan?"

"We don't have to fight," the tabby replied, his voice calm. "We will let you go back to Twolegplace in peace."

Scourge let out a _mrrow_ of amusement. "Go back? Do you really think we're such cowards? No, this is our home now."

Firestar stared past Scourge at the ranks of BloodClan warriors. The small black tom grinned. His Clan could scare even the toughest forest cats.

"The forest is ours," the ThunderClan leader meowed, turning back to Scourge. "We rule here by the will of StarClan."

"StarClan!" Scourge scoffed. "Tales for kits! Forest fools, StarClan won't help you now!" Suddenly he sprang to his paws. "Attack!"

"LionClan, attack!" the ginger tabby yowled. Scourge unsheathed his claws and leaped forward as his Clan swarmed around him, surging ahead as the forest and Twolegplace cats met in battle.

Scourge jumped to the side as Firestar sprang at him, neatly avoiding the outstretched claws. He slipped away, out of the forest cat's view, and jumped onto the wiry brown she-cat that had seen him.

She screeched and threw him off, whirling around with flashing talons. Scourge sneered at her and ducked, swiping his paws under the queen's legs. She tripped and fell over. Scourge raked her pelt angrily until he felt blood spill from under his claws. The she-cat yowled in pain and wriggled away. The BloodClan leader scored the reinforcing dog teeth across her back once more before leaping around her.

"Scourge!" yowled a loud voice. Scourge spun around to see a black and white tom racing towards him. "Fight me, you piece of fox dung!"

The small black tom hissed and whipped to the side as his attacker charged. His claws glinted in the dim light as he raised them, then slashed down. They met in the other tom's flank and he staggered.

Scourge snarled triumphantly and bit down on the warrior's shoulder. The cat howled and twisted around. Thrown slightly off balance, Scourge dug his claws into the cat's back and held on. The tom rolled over, trying to crush Scourge by slamming him into the ground.

The BloodClan leader leaped away before the bigger cat squashed him. Swiping out with a paw he delivered a blow to the tom's head and jumped away, vanishing among the other cats.

"Mousebrained forest cats!" Scourge spat under his breath. "Why can't they just give up? They're going to lose, no matter what!" He glanced around and saw Bone standing over a motionless white body. The tom felt a flow of satisfaction. Now_ they'll see they can't win… they'll all die!_ The forest would finally be his – forever.

He looked around to see a BloodClan she-cat scratch a small tabby's face. The tabby yowled and fled, escaping into the crowd of fighting cats. The she-cat looked up, panting, and saw Scourge. He nodded to her with approval.

Suddenly she yowled. "Scourge! Look out!"

Scourge whirled around and saw a forest cat leaping straight at him. He snarled and reached out to meet the warrior with his claws. The cat crashed into him, bowling him over, and they tumbled across the clearing. Scourge slashed and kicked up with his hind legs and the cat was thrown off. He slammed into a tree and fell to the roots without moving.

Scourge hissed and spun around, surveying the battle. His BloodClan warriors were obviously winning, being stronger and smarter than the dull forest cats. Soon he would rule all this territory.

He spotted a small light brown tom clawing at a tabby, one of his warriors. With a caterwaul, Scourge launched himself at the Clan cat, shoving him away from the tabby. He pushed the tom to the base of a huge boulder and sliced down with his talons.

A yowl of defiance made him turn to see a strong ginger tomcat leap at him. Scourge bared his teeth. "Firestar!" He jumped unexpectedly at the Clan leader. Firestar rolled with the impact and pushed Scourge down with one paw. Easily the small black tom wriggled away before Firestar could bite down. He swiped angrily and felt his claws score through the tabby's shoulder.

Firestar reeled back, then leaped again. Scourge was thrown back and hit the boulder. The tom was stunned for a moment, and Firestar bit down on his hind leg. Scourge lashed out, and his blow hit Firestar squarely. The orange tom lost his grip on the BloodClan leader.

Triumphantly Scourge reared back, his paw raised. Firestar scrambled to escape, but the black tom struck down. His reinforced claws slammed into the leader's head, drawing blood from the wounds.

Firestar cried out and collapsed. His eyes glazed over in the way Scourge knew was the signal of death. He had seen it many times as he had killed before, and now he sat back calmly. The ThunderClan leader made one final effort to get up, then fell back onto the grass, staining it red.

"No!"

Scourge whipped around to see a white, long furred warrior jump at him. In a quick movement he stood and twisted to the side. The small black tom extended a claw, slashing the warrior as he dove by.

The forest cat snarled and landed on all four paws, blood flowing from the gash. He crouched back and sprang at Scourge, fastening his teeth in one leg. Scourge bit down hard in the cat's scruff and shook him fiercely, then raked claws down his flank.

The warrior yowled in pain but wouldn't let go of his leg. Angry, Scourge sunk his fangs deeper into the tom's flesh.

"Scourge! Turn and fight me!"

Scourge spun around in shock as he recognized the voice, releasing the white warrior. A ginger tabby stood proudly in front of him. Scourge gasped. "How… I _killed_ you!"

"You did," Firestar spat, "But I am a leader with nine lives who fights alongside StarClan! Can you say as much?"

Scourge blinked at him, and for the first time a seed of doubt flickered in the back of his mind. Quickly he pushed it away, then aimed a final blow at the white forest cat, tossing him against the boulder.

Firestar leaped and ran towards him, faster than Scourge thought was possible. He felt claws slash at him and he lashed out. The tom flung himself between the forest cat's outstretched paws and aimed for his belly. The reinforcing dog's teeth were extended as he prepared to use the same attack he had destroyed the foolish tabby Tigerstar with.

Firestar barely drew back in time. Scourge screeched, and his claws flashed as he cut at the ginger tom with them. Firestar jumped to the side and bit down on Scourge's tail. The two cats went tumbling across the ground in a whirl of claws and fangs. They broke apart, and Scourge saw that the ThunderClan leader was bleeding again. The rusty-orange tabby crouched down in defeat, already weak from his wounds.

Scourge yowled in triumph. _Finally! _his mind screamed. Victoriously he leaped, his claws outstretched.

Suddenly movement came from Firestar and he hurled himself up. Scourge cried out as the tom slammed into him, thrusting him back. Claws ripped through his pelt and agony flashed through him.

Firestar growled and snapped his jaws together. Scourge wailed as they met in his throat, swiping wildly at the forest cat. A few blows hit the tabby, but he did not move as he slashed with his hind paws at Scourge's exposed belly.

Pain coursed through the small black tom like fire, and he struggled to keep fighting. Firestar shook his head and let go, ready to deal the death blow, but he stopped as he saw Scourge's torn throat.

Scourge's gaze met Firestar's, all the hatred he had ever felt in that glare. He tried to snarl defiance, but blood welled up from his neck. He jerked and felt dulling darkness creep up on him. It was exactly what he had done so many times to other cats, but now he was the one dying.

His ice blue eyes gleamed one last time, then he fell back into nothing, a world of complete black.

**Everyone cheer for Scourge! -silence- ...then... -in the distance cheers are heard- yay! And remember to vote and review!**


	20. Yellowfang

**I think I can officially say that this is my longest chapter in Last Chance and maybe even in all of my fanfiction stories! It's frinking 8 PAGES** **on Microsoft word! And I thought it would only be four pages, or something like that! Wow.**

"Fire! Wake up!"

The frantic yowl woke Yellowfang from her dream. She blinked once, then breathed in the harsh tang of smoke. "Cinderpelt!" She jumped to her paws. "Cinderpelt, get up for StarClan's sake! There's a fire!"

"Yellowfang," a voice groaned. "What is i-?" The gray-furred medicine cat opened her eyes. Instantly she leaped to her paws, her fur bristling.

"Hurry," Yellowfang growled. "Fireheart's alerting the rest of the Clan!" She bounded out of the den and into the center of the camp.

Fireheart was running around, urging warriors out of their nests and gathering the cats in the center of the camp. "We must leave the camp at once! Tell Bluestar the forest is on fire!"

The deputy raced to the elders' den. "The forest is on fire! Get out!" he caterwauled. The elders shifted in their nests. "Fire! Get out!" cried Fireheart again before rushing to the apprentices.

Yellowfang ran into the elder's den and prodded Halftail and One-eye with her claws. "Didn't you hear Fireheart? The forest is on fire!" she howled. The medicine cat glanced at the tops of the trees and saw with horror that a steady orange glow shone above the highest branches.

Cinderpelt limped behind her. "It's coming closer!" she mewed, her eyes wide and frightened.

Slowly Halftail's eyes cracked open. "It's the middle of the night!" he complained. "What're you-?" Suddenly he saw how bright it was and realized that it wasn't the sun. "One-eye! Patchpelt! Smallear! Dappletail!"

Satisfied that the elders were understanding the gravity of the situation, Yellowfang ran back to Fireheart. The Clan was already around him, and he was shouting. "Leave the camp! Head for the river!"

Yellowfang turned around and snapped at Cinderpelt, who was staring at the medicine cat den. "Follow the Clan! We must leave the herbs here!" She spun towards Fireheart. The rusty-ginger tabby was directing cats towards the camp entrance. He stared, worried, at the forest around them as the smell of smoke grew stronger. Yellowfang motioned to Cinderpelt with her tail. "Come _on_!"

Without looking back, the old she-cat bolted ahead, urging on the apprentices and elders. She heard Cinderpelt stumbling behind her. The Clan reached the top of the ravine, and Yellowfang saw Fireheart bolt from the camp entrance. He scrabbled up the ravine to the rest of the Clan. "Wait!" he called. "Is any cat missing?"

"Where are Halftail and Patchpelt?" wailed a voice. Yellowfang recognized it as Cloudpaw. The white apprentice almost seemed gray from all the ash raining everywhere.

"They're not with me!" meowed Smallear frantically.

"They must still be in the camp!" shouted Whitestorm.

_Oh, StarClan!_ Yellowfang thought. _The forest is on fire and at least two cats are missing! _

"Where's Bramblekit?" Goldenflower's desperate wail rose above the fire's roar. ""He was behind me when I was climbing the ravine!"

_Three,_ Yellowfang hissed in her mind.

Fireheart blinked. "I'll find them," he promised. "It's too dangerous for you to stay here any longer. Whitestorm and Darkstripe, make sure the rest of the Clan make it to the river."

"You can't go back there!" protested a cat, and the pale ginger form of Sandstorm burst through the crowd.

"I have to," Fireheart mewed.

"Then I'm coming too," Sandstorm told him stubbornly.

"No!" shouted Whitestorm. "We are short of warriors already! We need you to help get the Clan to the river!"

"Then I'll come!"

Yellowfang spun around to see Cinderpelt limp forward. "You mousebrain!" she snarled, but the young gray she-cat ignored her.

"I'm no warrior," Cinderpelt mewed. "I'd be no use anyway if we met an enemy patrol."

"No way!" Fireheart spat.

Cinderpelt opened her mouth to argue. Yellowfang growled and shouldered her way through the huddled cats. "I may be old, but I steadier on my paws than you," she snapped at the young gray she-cat. "The Clan will need your healing skills."

Fireheart nodded before Cinderpelt could protest. "There's no time to argue. Yellowfang, come with me. The rest of you, head for the river." He spun around and started down the slope back towards the smoke filled camp below.

Yellowfang cuffed Cinderpelt's ear and followed the deputy. She was no more than halfway to the bottom when a burst of smoke wafted towards her and she stumbled, choking.

Flames reached hungrily for the edges of the camp wall. Yellowfang hissed, and saw Fireheart run into the gorse tunnel. She bolted after him, panting.

The rusty-ginger tabby hesitated for a heartbeat, then leaped towards the elder's den. The fallen oak tree smoldered as the fire threatened to consume it. Yellowfang bristled as she saw the frail shape of Patchpelt slumped over, his jaws in Halftail's scruff. Both cats were unconscious.

Fireheart stopped in dismay. Yellowfang rolled her eyes and bounded past him, grabbing Halftail with her teeth. "Don't just stand there," she growled. "Help me get them out of here!"

Fireheart shook himself and started to drag Patchpelt towards the camp entrance. Smoke was pouring into the clearing, and Yellowfang struggled to keep moving the elder she carried.

The deputy was stronger than her, and was ahead of her as he pulled Patchpelt through the camp entrance. Yellowfang scrambled through as the crackling of the fire grew even louder.

She left the gorse tunnel and dragged Halftail out. The old tom moved feebly and coughed up black mucus. Yellowfang blinked; his lungs were smoke-scorched. She pressed her nose to the elder's fur.

Just then a huge roar made her jump. Yellowfang's eyes widened and she stepped back as the trees around the camp burst in flames. Fear suddenly flashed through her and she turned to see Fireheart staring at her. The warrior crouched down, ready to leap and help her, when a terrified mewling cut through the thunder of the conflagration.

The two cats looked up to see a tiny kit dangling from a branch. As Yellowfang watched, the trunk of the tree smoldered and caught fire.

Fireheart sprang for the kit as the flames raced up the dry wood. He bit down on the kit's scruff just as the pitiful shape let go of the branch was clinging to. Glancing down at the growing flames in horror, Fireheart edged along a thin tree limb. It swayed under his weight and the fire scorched his pelt. The deputy leaped away from the inferno just a loud crack rang in the forest.

Yellowfang snapped her head down to see that the flames had eaten through the tree's trunk. It wobbled once, then snapped and crashed away from where Fireheart had landing and towards the camp entrance.

Yellowfang yowled as the tree hurtled towards her. She grabbed Halftail and dragged him back into the gorse tunnel just as the flaming wood smashed down where the two had had stood a heartbeat before.

The flames licked at the dry thorns. Yellowfang gasped in horror as the tunnel exploded into a whirl of fire and smoke. The gorse that had protected the Clan for so many moons was now trapping the cats and spreading the blaze to the rest of the camp.

A snapping sound caught Yellowfang's attention, and she looked up just as the thorns overhead caught fire. Sparks rained down on her and Halftail. The medicine cat yowled in pain and smelled the acrid stench of burning fur.

Halftail coughed again and rolled over. Yellowfang blinked at him, then glanced up at the roof of the gorse tunnel. It cracked and withered away as she watched. The old she-cat gritted her teeth, then grabbed Halftail's scruff and ran through the curtain of flames that was blocking the exit.

She burst from the gorse just as a roar sounded from behind her. Yellowfang spun around to see the tunnel flare up and collapse into a pile of burning thorns.

Agony ripped through her as she turned around again. Yellowfang flinched and realized that her pelt and skin had been burned. She stared around and saw her den, partly obscured by smoke. Maybe if she could get to the herbs…

For what felt like the millionth time, Yellowfang grasped Halftail and dragged him with her. The tom's eyes fluttered open for a moment when they were almost to the den.

"The fire! The fire!" he screeched. Yellowfang jumped, startled, and dropped him. Halftail turned his terrified gaze on her, then wheezed at more smoke blew around them. He convulsed and gasped for breath, then suddenly was still.

"Halftail!" Yellowfang choked. She nudged the elder with her nose. "Halftail!" A roar sounded around her and she leaped back just as a flaming branch thudded down. The medicine cat jerked around and stumbled into her den just as the fire penetrated the camp wall.

The trees sheltering the camp crackled, then blazed as the fire spread ravenously from branch to branch. The heat was unbearable; Yellowfang sucked in air, coughing. She staggered back, then tripped as she reached the medicine cat den. Her burns shot agony through her mercilessly. Yellowfang felt tears well up in her eyes and angrily shook them away. Ignoring the pain, she reached out for a crinkled leaf, but fell back. The hurt was too great.

Suddenly a roar different from the inferno boomed above everything else. Yellowfang glanced up through the tips of the ferns and saw storm clouds roiling above the bright flames.

_A storm… a storm… oh, thank StarClan…_ The first raindrops started to pour down, and the cold water splashed on Yellowfang's scalded body as it ran down the sides of the den. She winced as the cool drops hit her burns, but after a minute she became used to the slight pricks of pain. Without realizing it, she rested her head on the ground and let darkness cover her.

Her eyes fluttered open. They stung, and the she-cat shook her head weakly, flinching as pain coursed through her neck. She suddenly remembered what had happened and tried to scramble up, but failed. She glanced at her ragged fur and saw that it was burned away.

Yellowfang groaned as she struggled to stand, then choked and coughed. A charred shape caught her eye and she saw Half-tail's blackened body at the entrance to her den. She shuddered. He had breathed in too much smoke. Anxiously she hoped that Fireheart had gotten Patchpelt to safety.

And the kit… 

The kit he had stopped to save. Instead of her.

Yellowfang shook those thoughts from her mind. She was old, and the kit deserved to live. Then she winced. _You're making it sound like you won't survive…_

All of a sudden voices yowled in the distance. Yellowfang tried to raise her head, but she was too weak, and she could only twist around enough to see a sliver of the sky outside of the den. The medicine cat noticed that the fires were all out and the sky was a stormy gray, but suddenly that didn't seem to matter.

An anxious mew made her look up. She could just see two large cat shapes outside of the fern tunnel. One of them, a gray warrior, started towards the seared body of Halftail. "I'll bury him," a voice meowed. "You look for Yellowfang." He picked up the limp form and started to drag it away.

The other cat stood frozen for a moment, then dropped his head. He took a step forward, then padded slowly through the fern tunnel to the medicine cat den. "Yellowfang?" he called softly. He tasted the air hopefully. "Yellowfang?"

Yellowfang opened her mouth, but nothing came out. She swallowed and coughed with smoke-scorched lungs, and a rasping mew escaped her.

The cat placed a paw inside the den and stared around. Yellowfang blinked, and the warrior bounded over to her. With relief, the medicine cat recognized the tom as Fireheart.

"Yellowfang!" cried the deputy. He pressed his nose into the old she-cat's fur.

"Fireheart," Yellowfang croaked, meeting his green gaze. "I'm glad it's you who came."

"I shouldn't have left you here," the ginger tabby wailed. "I'm so sorry."

Yellowfang coughed harshly, pain jolting through her. "Did you save Patchpelt?" she panted.

Fireheart shook his head, and Yellowfang closed her eyes for a heartbeat. "He breathed in too much smoke."

"Halftail too." The she-cat laid her head on her paws.

"But we saved Goldenflower's kit!" the tom mewed desperately.

Yellowfang blinked. "Which one was it?"

"Bramblekit."

Yellowfang squeezed her eyes shut. _So… Tigerstar's son. But kits don't always turn out like their parents… Raggedstar was far more noble then _Brokentail_ could ever have been._ Suddenly she realized she had to tell Fireheart everything, before she –

Her eyes snapped opened again. "You're a brave warrior, Fireheart," she whispered. "I could not be prouder of you if you were my own son. And StarClan knows how many times I wished that you were instead of –" she drew in a rattling breath. "_Brokentail_."

Fireheart flinched visibly. His eyes shifted around for a moment, then he leaned forward to lick her ears, evidently trying to soothe her.

"I killed him. I poisoned him. I wanted him to die." Yellowfang blinked up at the young warrior, then doubled over as she started to cough painfully.

"Hush, save your strength," Fireheart mewed, and Yellowfang realized that he had known she had killed Brokentail all along. "Here, let me get you some water,"  
the tom continued.

Yellowfang shook her head slowly. "Water's no use to me now. I want to tell you everything before I-"

"You're not going to die!" Fireheart snarled, as if he could turn back death just by saying it forcefully enough. "Tell me what I can do to help you!"

_Toms!_ The medicine thought scornfully. "Don't waste your time," she rasped angrily. "I'm going to die no matter what you do, but I'm not afraid. Just listen to me."

Fireheart reeled back and fell silent, staring at her.

"I wish you'd been my son," the she-cat told him. "But I could not have borne a cat like you. StarClan gave me Brokentail to teach me a lesson."

"What did you need to learn?" Fireheart protested. "You are as wise as Bluestar herself!"

"I killed my own son!" Yellowfang spat. _Don't you understand?_

"He deserved it!" Fireheart hissed.

"But I was his mother," breathed Yellowfang. "StarClan may judge me how they will. I am ready."

Fireheart opened his mouth, then stopped. He blinked, his expression changing, then he dipped his head and began licking her matted fur. The old she-cat closed her eyes, lulled by the rhythmic lapping. She felt a shiver run up her spine as a shadow crept up on her, dulling the pain from her burns. She had always known it would be like this…

"Fireheart," Yellowfang mumbled.

"Yes?" The ginger tabby hesitated.

"Thank you for bringing me to ThunderClan. Tell Bluestar I have always been grateful for the home she gave me. This is a good place to die. I only regret that I will miss watching you become what StarClan has destined you to be." Her voice trailed off, and she breathed in quickly, her flanks heaving as she struggled to breathe.

"Yellowfang! Don't die!" Fireheart wailed.

Yellowfang tried to look up at him, but her body wasn't obeying her. Almost with relief she felt the smell of smoke that was burned into her lungs fade away, leaving the cool scent of a starry forest.

"Don't be afraid of StarClan!" a voice called. Yellowfang twitched and felt the pain disappear as Fireheart's desperate meow grew fainter. "They will understand about Brokentail! You will be honored by our warriors ancestors for your loyalty to your Clanmates and for your endless courage. So many cats owe their lives to you. Cinderpelt would have died after her accident if you had not tended to her. And when there was greencough, you fought day and night…"

The words kept coming, but Yellowfang could not hear them anymore. She had already fallen into soothing darkness and a forest full of stars.


	21. Feathertail

**I am so so so so so sorry that I have not updated. I haven't been able to finish this chapter until now, so I am finally posting it. I promise that I will work on the next chapter more, just please do not forget about this story! With school and mathteam and debate and stuff I was only working on this in bits and pieces, but its finished. So please review and don't totally forget about Last Chance! You can vote for the next cat (choices are at the bottom of the page).**

It was stupid. Probably the stupidest thing she had ever done, and would ever do. They had just escaped the Tribe, and now they were heading back, walking right into the paws of the cats who had tried to imprison them.

Feathertail shook her head. This was insanity, what Stormfur suggested, but there was some truth in what he said. The Tribe of Rushing Water's ancestors _did_ have him in their prophecy, and Sharptooth _would_ destroy the Tribe if it was allowed to live. But… they had just managed to flee, when the Tribe cats wanted to lock them up until they could turn them over to the lion-cat.

But she would follow her brother until the end. No way would she let him make this journey alone.

The RiverClan she-cat closed her eyes as the roar of the waterfall grew louder. Crag and his patrol of cave-guards surrounded the cats silently, casting suspicious glances at Rock, Bird and Talon as they climbed the path to the frothing sheet of water.

Feathertail gazed up at the tumbling foam. Almost instantly strange voices called out to her, speaking words she could not understand. Those soft mews had spoken to her before, in the cave, but they seemed just a whisker-breadth too far away for her to grasp. The she-cat shivered, glancing around to see if her Clanmates had heard them, but they gave no sign of understanding.

The group reached the waterfall, and they dived through the downpour into the cave. The Tribe cats glared at them, their eyes glowing angrily in the darkness. Feathertail growled, her pelt bristling and her blue eyes flashing.

Stoneteller sat in the middle of the main cave, mud streaked fur spiked up. He was clearly expecting them, and his eyes narrowed into chips of green as he spoke.

"What's this? Why have you come back?" His meow was cold and harsh, his fury distorted behind a shield of iciness.

Stormfur swallowed, setting down the dead hare he was carrying, and Feathertail felt her brother quiver. "To help you defeat Sharptooth," he replied.

A hiss ran through the Tribe cats now slinking into the cave, watching their leader and their prisoners with a mixture and anger and caution. Stoneteller's expression didn't change at all. "And just what do you think you can do?" He glanced around the cavern, and Feathertail turned to see wounded guards, hurt from their battle with the massive lion-cat. "Sharptooth took Star yesterday," spat the old tom. "Many cats were injured as we tried to drive him out. One has already died, and two others lie on the border of Endless Hunting." His meow was accusing now. "You didn't help us then. You ran away."

The leader's anger was almost tangible, cutting through Feathertail like a talon. She could feel her brother's guilt as a murmur of agreement rose from the watching Tribe cats. "I didn't believe I was the promised cat," he meowed softly. "But since I escaped, I've been thinking, and I've come back freely. Even if I'm not the cat in the prophecy, I'll do all I can to help."

"We all will," added Brambleclaw, padding forward to stand by the RiverClan tom.

Feathertail let out a breath of relief as Stoneteller relaxed. Suddenly a purr sounded in the cavern. "Stormfur! I knew you would come back!" A sleek she-cat pulled away from the crowd, running up to the RiverClan tom.

"Brook?" Stormfur's eyes shone with relief, and Feathertail wondered just how deep his feeling ran.

The Tribe cat turned to Stoneteller. "We should listen to him," she urged. "The Tribe of Endless Hunting has sent him to help us. Why else would he come back, after seeing what Sharptooth can do?"

The old Tribe leader bowed his head, and Feathertail was struck by how exhausted he looked. "Very well, but what are you going to do that we haven't tried before? Sharptooth has killed the best fighters in my Tribe as if they were puny kits."

Stormfur flicked his ears, and Squirrelpaw padded forward with a bundle of leaves clasped firmly in her jaws. "Show Stoneteller what you have," the RiverClan tom meowed. "I hope you haven't swallowed any."

"I'm not mouse-brained!' the apprentice protested, dropping the leaves at his feet. Feathertail rolled her eyes and heard Crowpaw mutter something under his breath behind her.

Stormfur touched the hare at his paws. "This prey is for Sharptooth," he told Stoneteller. "And inside it we'll put these." He opened the leaf wad, revealing a heap of small red berries.

The Tribe leader hissed. "Night-seeds?"

"You know them?" asked Stormfur. "In the Clans we call them deathberries." He prodded the pile gently.

"I know all the herbs and berries that grow in the mountain," Stoneteller responded, his eyes gleaming green slits. "But none of that knowledge is any use to protect my Tribe. Sharptooth is too strong. Not even your deathberries will defeat him."

"Three can kill the strongest warriors," Squirrelpaw mewed, speaking up. "I think this here would be enough even for Sharptooth."

The Tribe leader blinked. "Are you sure?"

"Even if they don't, they'll weaken him so we can finish him off," Stormfur added.

Stoneteller hesitated, looking as though the weight of the world was on him.

Suddenly a hiss ran through the cave. Feathertail looked behind her and saw Talon thrusting his way forward. The Tribe cats glared at him, their eyes blazing with anger as they snarled accusations.

"You were supposed to kill Sharptooth!"

"You failed us!"

"Stoneteller, he's disobeying you by coming here! Kill him!"

The Clan cats growled and surrounded the outcasts protectively. Crowpaw's fur bristled with anger, and Tanwypelt unsheathed her claws. Feathertail lashed her tail as Stormfur looked around proudly.

"Well," hissed Stoneteller, glowering at Talon. "I hope you have a good reason for coming here."

"The best reason," Talon retorted. "You can kill me if you like, but that won't make you any stronger against Sharptooth. You're enemy is outside the cave, not within. The silver cat has come, and it is time to believe the prophecy of the Tribe of Endless Hunting. If we fail, then you can kill us."

The Tribe fell silent, and Stoneteller cocked his head to the side.

"We can't kill the creature in its lair," continued the outcast. "Since we do not know where it lives. So we must bring it here to die."

"Here?" Brook asked. "In our cave?" The other cats echoed her exclamation.

Feathertail noticed a slight movement and saw her brother rest his tail on the she-cat's shoulder. The RiverClan warrior stiffened. _Stormfur, I hope you know what you're getting into._

"Yes, here," hissed Talon. "This is the place that we know, where we have somewhere to hide, and where the whole Tribe can wait to ambush Sharptooth if we need to give him the death blow."

"And how do you propose to bring him here?" Stoneteller growled, narrowing his eyes again.

"With blood." Grimly, Talon lifted his paw and tore the pad with his teeth. Feathertail winced as scarlet splashed the smooth stone underfoot and the former Tribe cat caterwauled. Then he spun around and raced out of the cave, Rock and Bird at his paws.

The cave fell silent as the outcasts vanished, leaving behind the trail of blood. Talon's ferocious yowl still echoed in the cave, fading away as Feathertail listened. The Tribe cats stared after them. The only sound was the roar of the waterfall, and the voices that only Feathertail could hear. They whispered in an uncommon accent, their sound muffled, but as she listened, they became clearer.

_Pointed stones… a new dawn… _

Brambleclaw's voice broke the silence. "Squirrelpaw and Stormfur, you stuff the hare. Be sure you don't get any deathberry juice on your fur, and if you do, wash it off right away."

"Yes, O medicine cat," Squirrelflight mewed teasingly. "We know what to do!"

Brambleclaw's tail flicked in what could have been amusement or annoyance; then he turned around and started talking with Tawnypelt about the best place to leave the death-berry-stuffed hare. Stoneteller went off to give orders to the cave-guards.

Feathertail blinked as the voices from the waterfall hissed in her mind, echoing. She stood silently, every hair on her pelt fluffed up.

_Danger… blood spilled… The silver cat…_

Feathertail shivered, then looked up as Stormfur blinked uneasily. His eyes were worried, revealing the growing dread inside of him.

The she-cat padded over to her brother. "It will be all right," she murmured comfortingly. "I know you're scared, but StarClan sent you here as well, with your dream about our mother. We have to do this."

She noticed Crowpaw hovering at her shoulder, and he nodded silently.

Sacrifice…one life for another… A chill spread across the RiverClan warrior's body and she glanced around hurriedly. No other cats seemed to notice the soft mews from the waterfall.

_Blood for blood…_

Suddenly a screech spilt the air. The cats spun around as Talon, Rock and Bird bolted into the cave, terror on their faces.

"Sharptooth!" Bird gasped, her eyes wide.

"He's here!" Rock wailed. "He's coming!"

"No!" Stormfur froze as Feathertail gasped. It was too soon! Instantly the Tribe cats bolted away and darted down the tunnel that led to the Cave of Pointed Stones, their screeches fading away. The Clan cats hesitated in the center of the cave, and in that instant a shadow fell across the entrance. With a roar, Sharptooth burst through the waterfall.

Feathertail gasped in terror. Just like the Tribe had said, he looked like a lion, but without a mane framing his head. The creature's massive golden head was lowered, leaning towards the trail of blood. As Sharptooth entered the cave he looked up. Instantly the poisoned hare was swept aside by a massive paw.

"No!" Squirrelpaw yowled. Sharptooth's head swung around to face her. His ears flicked in interest as he tasted the air hungrily.

"Get back!" Brambleclaw hissed. "All of you, hide!" He lunged for Sharptooth, lashing out at the lion with his claws, then veering back before it could hurt him. Feathertail dashed up a series of ledges in the wall as Sharptooth roared in fury. The she-cat felt fur brush her pelt as her brother scrambled onto the ledge with her; Brambleclaw ran to the other side of the cavern.

The silver she-cat blinked. The voices were clear now, speaking in her mind, telling her what to do. She heard Sharptooth's caterwauls ringing in the cave, the cries of the Tribe cats as they scattered, and Brambleclaw's challenging yowls, but they all seemed far away.

_Look up…_

The whispers echoed in her mind. Feathertail blinked, as though broken from a trance, and peered at the roof of the cavern. Sharp points of rock dangled from them, pointing ominously downward. Realization flickered in her brain and suddenly the voices grew clear.

_The silver cat, not of this Tribe, will rid us of Sharptooth forever._

She looked at Stormfur, tensed on the ledge beside her. He stared down at Sharptooth with a horrified expression. Featherail looked down and saw Sharptooth rounding on Crowpaw. The apprentice was trapped in a crevice that was too shallow to shelter him, yowling in fear. In a heartbeat the lion-cat would have him.

"Crowpaw," she murmured. Stormfur's head snapped over to her. "I can hear the voices clearly now," the she-cat meowed, her voice eerily calm. "This is for me to do."

Before Stormfur could speak, she crouched and launched herself into the air. Feathertail heard Stormfur screech behind her as she leaped towards the ceiling. Her claws scraped against the hard stone and she scrabbled to loosen the base of one of the points. Sharptooth yowled furiously below her and she dug her claws deeper into the cracks in the rock.

A rumble shook the silver she-cat's body and she nearly lost her grip. Feathertail hissed, pressing against the stone. A grating noise filled her ears, followed by a crack as the stone claw's base crumbled. Everything seemed to spin for a heartbeat, then the rock broke and plummeted down towards the floor of the cave.

Feathertail wailed as air rushed around her. Suddenly a jolt threw her off the spike and she slammed into the floor of the cave. Sharptooth's yowl of fury became a cry of fear and a sudden screech of pain.

"Feathertail!"

She lay on the cold stone, unable to move. Everything seemed frozen and silent except for her name echoing in her mind. Rock dug into her flank, hard against her spine. Pain throbbed from somewhere in her body, distance and dim. Fog covered everything, making her world dark and soft, and she didn't want to open her eyes.

"Feathertail!" Crowpaw's voice dug into her mind, heavy with desperation. "Feathertail, are you okay?"

_No… _she thought. The black fog muffled the cats' mews. She faintly felt Stormfur shift beside her, and the other Clan cats crouch around her, but she didn't move.

"She'll be fine," stammered the RiverClan tom. "She's got to be. She… she has a prophecy to fulfill."

Crowpaw touched her fur with his nose. "Wake up, Feathertail," he whispered, his voice rasping with fear. "Please… please wake up."

Slowly she forced her eyes open, dispersing the fog. Instantly the pain shot through her, clear and sharp. She moaned, wanting to return to the dullness, where the cold agony against her back was gone. Shards of pain ripped in her flank, as though her legs had shattered.

Crowpaw gasped, and Stormfur whipped around. "Feathertail?"

Slowly Feathertail blinked. "You'll have to go home without me, brother," she murmured. "Save the Clans." Painfully she looked over at Crowpaw. "Think you have nine lives, do you?" Her voice sounded weak, even to her. "I save you once… don't make me save you again."

"Feathertail… no! Don't leave me!" Crowpaw stared down at her anxiously, grief clouding in his eyes.

"I won't," Feathertail whispered, sudden calm flooding her mind. "I'll always be with you, I promise."

Her vision grew watery and faded as Crowpaw let out an anguished yowl. A brief flicker of feeling told her that Stormfur was crouching beside her, then it was gone. Her eyes closed, and the pain faded forever.

There was a glimmer of starlight, and the RiverClan queen looked up. A silver she-cat stood before her, wreathed in mist from the waterfall. Feathertail blinked, remembering what Stormfur had told her about his dream. "S-silverstream?"

Her mother dipped her head, brushing Feathertail with her muzzle. "I'm so sorry," she murmured. "But you will be safe now. I promise."

Feathertail stood silently, too shocked to speak. Suddenly a movement caught her eye behind the waterfall. As she gazed past the sheet of water she saw many cats, clustered around a lifeless form. After a moment she recognized them as the other Clan cats. They had gathered around her body.

For a heartbeat Stormfur glanced up at the waterfall, and Feathertail saw sorrow flash in his face. She ran to the edge of the water, with Silverstream right beside her. In that heartbeat she could tell that Stormfur saw her, from the other side of the falls, the side of the living. She closed her eyes, afraid that tears would come.

_I'll be with you… always…_

**And once again I'm sorry that I haven't updated since, like, September last year or something. So please review and vote, choices are: Silverstream, Talonpaw, Sootfur, Tigerstar, Tallstar, Skywatcher, Rainfur, and the evil rat of doom from Firestar's Quest (I'm serious) lol.  
**


	22. The Rat

**See? I updated much faster this time! I was kinda surprised cause almost everyone voted for the rat (lol)! So, yeah, here's the rat. In case you get confused, the Swarm refers to the rat group, like a Clan, and the Teller (Teller of Languages) is like the leader. Also, the rats refer to the humans just as humans, not Twolegs. I thought their view of the world would be different than the cats. Since we don't know that much about the rats, I didn't really know what to do, so I'm not sure how good this chapter is, but please review and vote!! **

He still remembered the story.

The Teller at that time, his ancestor, many generations dead, had told the tale to his apprentice. And so it was passed down through the Swarm for countless seasons. The strange cats had appeared, hungry and tired. They rested in the forest, and after staying one night, they stayed forever. But the rats did not want their peace shattered. So the ancient Teller had taken all his fighters and attacked, and the cats had been driven off.

Now the cats had returned.

The rat shook himself and opened his dark eyes, staring out into the sleeping Swarm. The huddled rat bodies filled the old human nest, making the floor look like a sea of fur.

_We will reclaim what is ours…_

The rat whipped his tail against the ground, making a slapping sound. Almost instantly another, smaller rodent crept from the shadows. "Yes, Shadow?"

The Shadow. That was his current name. It changed often, whenever he wanted, usually with the seasons and moons. It kept him from being any one thing permanently; instead, he could be many things, many names, all at once. The rat narrowed his eyes. "What information is there of the cats?" he hissed.

The other rat, who's name was Thorn, blinked. "I will ask." He scurried away, disappearing into the darkness.

The Shadow looked around, his whiskers twitching. The reek of cat hung everywhere now, since they had starting patrolling their 'territory'. Hah! Who were they to think they could come and steal the precious land that had belonged to the rats for countless generations? The very thought made him furious.

"Shadow!" Thorn ran back towards him, his eyes wide. "The sentries have spotted the cats! They are heading this way, right now! They plan to attack!"

The Shadow thought for a moment, then he grinned, fangs glinting. "Let them come," he growled. "We can trap them inside here, and finish with them forever." He raised his head and slapped the ground three more times with his tail.

The signal rippled through the sleeping rats, and within a few heartbeats they were awake. The blinked sleepily and glanced around, then saw their leader standing at the back of the human nest. Quickly they stood up, eyes sparkling.

The Shadow surveyed the eagerly listening crowd for a moment, then started to speak. "As you know, we have owned this forest for too many moons to count. The rats have lived on this territory for generations, working as one, under the Teller of Languages. Then, many seasons ago… _cats_ came."

A hiss ran through the rats, and their eyes narrowed.

"But the Teller united the rats, and drove the intruders away!" The Shadow continued. "Yes, we fought them off! Now the cats have returned, thinking they can outwit us. But we saw how they fought at their camp. They're so weak, they can't even defend their own dens!"

Scattered laughter echoed in the abandoned human nest. A splash of silver moonlight fell through a crack in the wall, and The Shadow moved into it so his fur glistened. "My scouts tell me they are own their way here right now, to get rid of us. But will they?"

"_No_!" The Swarm cheered, excitement running through them as he spoke.

"Will we fight them?"

"_Yes_!"

"Will we defeat them?"

"_YES_!"

"Then get ready, and be silent as we wait! They will be here very soon, and then…" The Shadow lifted his head. "_We will kill them_!"

The enthusiasm of the crowd was almost overpowering as they cheered one last time and scampered away, to hide in dark corners. The Shadow grinned again, then ducked out of the silvery moonlight until he too was just another flicker in the shadowy nest.

The world grew silent as the rats stopped their rustling. The Shadow fell in with one of the groups. If the cats didn't know which rat could speak their language, they would not be able to stop them.

Suddenly the sound of muffled pawsteps rose in the quiet night. The Shadow flicked his tail, sending a silent message through the Swarm. Cat voices rumbled in the distance as he listened.

"We're going to head for the nest," meowed one. The Shadow narrowed his eyes. He recognized that voice: the fiery furred tom. The one who thought he was the great cat leader, who thought he could defeat them! The cat continued. "When the rats appear, race for the gaps and get outside. With any luck, the rats will follow you."

The Shadow looked around and saw some of the rats staring blankly. Of course, they couldn't understand cat language. The rat twitched again, letting the Swarm know what to do.

Then a shaft was moonlight from a gap in the wall was blotted out by a large figure. The fiery tom slipped into the human nest, glancing around cautiously. A few more cats followed him, tasting the air for a scent.

_Now_!

A heartbeat after The Shadow gave his signal the rest of the rats swarmed out of their hiding places. One of the cats gasped in terror, and the rest of the patrol spun around to face rows and rows of rats.

The Shadow smirked, then spoke. "We killed you before. We will kill you again. You are few. We are many." He saw the fiery tom's eyes search among the rats for him, but he looked just like any other of the Swarm.

One massive tomcat let out a snarl and leaped for the rats. The fiery tom yowled. "Stop!"

The Shadow flicked his ears, and the rats surged forward in a wave. The patrol lashed out with unsheathed claws, trying to get back to the gap that they entered through. But there were two more rats for every one that was killed by the slicing talons.

_Many may fall, but the sacrifice is worth it…_

A screech sounded from outside the nest. The Shadow spun around to see the rest of the cats leap in. "There!" he hissed. Instantly a group of rats turned to face the intruders, scuttling forward to claw and bite.

The cats snarled and began fighting. The human nest looked like a writhing sea, and The Shadow dipped his head and leaped to attack a small she-cat. The cat squirmed as a wave of rats threatened to cover her. The Shadow climbed on her head and sunk his fangs into her ear. She yowled and tried to throw the rats off. Spitting, The Shadow scurried off her and darted across the ground to where another cat was foolishly fighting the Swarm.

"Out! Every cat get out!" The fiery tom shouted above the roar of battle, and the cats instantly moved together, fighting their way to the gap in the wall. The Shadow lashed his tail, sending a signal through his rats, and they turned to stop the invaders.

Suddenly a thrashing figure caught his attention. "Here!" he yelled. A group of rats turned to see what he was looking at – a fallen cat, still struggling to fight. The rats bared their teeth and jumped at him.

"Rainfur!"

The Shadow glanced up to see that the rest of the cats had escaped through the gap, leaving behind this one. The fiery tom hesitated at the entrance, then turned to a pale ginger she-cat. "Get out! I'll help Rainfur!"

The she-cat didn't move. "I'm not leaving without you."

The tom nodded and sprang back into the human nest, knocking away rats. The Shadow almost laughed at his stupidity. Why was he coming back to save this cat? If 'Rainfur' couldn't even fight well, why should he live? Besides, sacrifices had to be made to achieve goals. The rat ran towards the fiery tom, who was too concerned with Rainfur to even notice him.

He had almost reached the writhing mass of rats when The Shadow leaped, landing squarely on the cat's back. The tom slammed down hard, and the rat dug his claws into his neck. The reassuring scarlet of blood started to ooze up in the cat's fur. The tom looked up, his green eyes wide with pain.

The Shadow hissed. "Die, cat!"

The fiery tomcat struggled, but couldn't move. The rat sank his teeth into his throat, and the cat collapsed.

A cheer rose from the Swarm, and The Shadow stood triumphantly. "_We will reclaim our territory_!" he snarled.

Suddenly a ginger paw batted him off the body. The Shadow spat and whipped around to see the she-cat grasp the tom's scruff in her jaws and start to pull him outside. "After them!" he growled. The rats scampered after the cats just as they reached the gap.

"Firestar! Firestar!" The ginger cat shook the fiery tom with her paw. "Firestar, get up! The rats are coming!"

And then the tom opened his eyes. The Shadow hissed. _Impossible! I killed him!_ His fury rippled through the Swarm, and their dark eyes glinted angrily. They poured out of the gap, ready to fight. The cats darted up a tree, their fur bristling, and they started murmuring among themselves.

The rats swarmed over the ground beneath the tree, staring up at the branches where the cats huddled. _Ha! They're too afraid and weak!_ The Shadow smirked. Then he pricked his ears up, hearing scattered words of the cats conversation.

"Rats acting together… swarm… leading rat…"

He knew what they were going to do. They were going to try to single him out, since the rest of the rats took orders from him. Fools! They thought he would fall for that?

Evidently the cats did think so, because they scrambled down the tree anxiously. The fiery tom stared over the sea of rats. The Shadow twitched and his signal moved through the Swarm. The rats edged closer.

The fiery tom, 'Firestar', as the she-cat had called him, narrowed his eyes. "You're brave enough when you're all togther," he jeered. "But I bet you wouldn't be so brave all on your own. I don't supposed even your clever leader would come out and face me."

The Shadow didn't move, nor did any of the rats.

"Cowards!" sneered the massive tom standing beside Firestar. "Crow-food-eating, skulking vermin!"

"Come and fight!" Firestar growled. He sounded brave, but in his green eyes panic began to flicker as he realized that the leader was smart enough not to show himself. The Shadow sent another silent signal, and the Swarm crept forward.

_Victory will be ours!_

Then, suddenly, realization flashed in Firestar's face. He looked out over the Swarm, and his eyes met The Shadow's.

He leaped.

"Firestar!"

The Shadow snarled, but fear rose up in him. _How-?_ Then the tom reached him and slashed at his neck.

Pain ripped through the rat as he staggered back. The warm stickiness of blood flowed from the wound. _No_… It couldn't end like this, so suddenly.

He glared up at the cat, his eyes smoldering with hatred. Then claws sliced him, shooting agony through his body.

He had failed.

_Forgive me, ancestors._

And everything went black.


	23. Skywatcher

**another slow update... though not quite as slow as some of my posts! xD Anyway,a cat with a lot of votes was Skywatcher (well, and Silverstream, but I really couldn't think of anything to do for her yet), and it took me forever to get into his character... so I hope this worked out well. There are a few new voting options, because I was thinking about cats who had died and -smackshead- Cinderpelt! Fallen Leaves! So you can vote for them, as well as for ****Silverstream, Talonpaw, Sootfur, Tigerstar, Tallstar, or Rainfur. Also some suggestions by reviewers were Mosskit and Clawface.**

**oh, and whoever gets the 200th review gets to freely choose a cat! So review! Please! -begs- and here is the next chapter (finally)!**

--

Sky padded silently through the camp, his pawsteps soft on the dry earth. The bright sunlight warmed his fur to the point of being uncomfortable as he crept through SkyClan territory. Slowly the elderly tom shifted his course to stop beneath the shade of a tree.

He curled up, quietly enjoying the cool ground beneath his paws. It had been a long time since he had felt so happy… so complete. Yet a small spark of dread itched in his paws. His dreams... yes, he would have to tell Firestar soon. Sky sighed. He knew he was old, and his time to join StarClan would come soon, but he wanted more time to be part of the new Clan…

A flicker of movement caught Sky's eye, and he turned his head to see Clover's three tiny kits jumping around. Rock and Bounce leaped at Tiny, who squeaked and dove behind her mother before batting her siblings away with miniature paws. Sky flicked his tail and a purr escaped him. Yes, the Clan would have new, eager warriors soon, and everything would be as it should.

The tom released another sigh, but one of happiness this time. _SkyClan will live again,_ Sky reminded himself. _The Clan has not died, after all. _There was still a long way to go before the cats would be a proper Clan, he reminded himself, but he could not resist the warm glow of pride that filled him. Firestar would train the cats, and finally SkyClan would be whole again.

As if to underline Sky's point, the fiery tom's voice called out from the Rockpile. "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join here beneath the Rockpile for a Clan meeting!"

Sky's ears pricked and he sat straight up, gazing around. Leaf, Patch, Cherry, Scratch, and the other cats appeared, excitement glowing in their eyes. Sky stood quickly, stretching out his legs before padding over to sit at the base of the Rockpile.

"Cats of SkyClan," began Firestar, sending a happy ripple through the group. "Last night you committed yourselves to this Clan and the warrior code. Today the Clan will honor you with your Clan names. Scratch, Leaf, Hutch, Clover, and Path, please come to stand at the bottom of the Rockpile."

The five cats stood uncertainly, moving closer to the base of the rocks. Firestar leaped down to join them and started to speak.

"I, Firestar, leader of ThunderClan and mentor to SkyClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down upon these cats. They have a true desire to learn the ways of your noble warrior code, and I commend them to you as warriors in their turn."

Sharpclaw. Clovertail. Patchfoot, Shortwhisker, Leafdapple. Cherrypaw, Sparrowpaw, as the apprentices. The names swam through his mind, darted in and out of his thoughts like a fish. Sky looked up at the gathered remains of SkyClan, pride shining in his eyes… but no, not just remains anymore, but a _true_ Clan.

Then Sharpclaw's voice rang in the stillness.

"What about a Clan leader?" the newly named warrior asked. "You're not going to stay here forever, are you?"

Sky's ears pricked. There was no doubt in his mind that Sharpclaw was hoping to become SkyClan's leader; he was strong, brave, not afraid to lead. But Sky wondered if the tom really understood what loyalty to the Clan meant, or if he was only trying to gain power.

The old tom felt a flash of relief when Firestar meowed, "It doesn't work like that. It's not my job to choose a leader. StarClan will do that."

Sharpclaw tensed. "How?"

"They'll send us a sign," the fiery warrior replied. Sharpclaw snorted, but fell silent.

"Now I have one more name to give," Firestar announced, turning his green gaze over the cats. "Sky, come here please."

The elderly tom blinked in surprise. Then the shock flickering in his mind was replaced by deep gratitude, and Sky padded forward to stand in front of the forest cat.

"I, Firestar, leader of ThunderClan and mentor to SkyClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down upon this cat. He had served the warrior code throughout his whole life, and it is thanks to him that this Clan stands here today. For this reason, I ask no promise from him, for he is already a true warrior."

Sky looked up at Firestar, happiness flowing inside of him as the younger tom spoke his new name. "Sky, from this day forward you will be known as Skywatcher, in memory of your faith and your dedication to SkyClan."

A moment of silence followed the ThunderClan leader's words, then the yowls called out his name.

"Skywatcher! Skywatcher!"

Skywatcher purred gratefully. "Thank you. I never dreamed this would happen… I… I hope my ancestors can see me now."

"I'm sure they can," meowed Firestar reassuringly.

Then the reminder of what he had to tell Firestar dropped back on Skywatcher's shoulders, and he lowered his gaze. He leaned to whisper in the fiery tom's ear, "Come to my den tonight, there's something I must tell you."

Before Firestar could ask any questions Skywatcher turned and padded away.

--

The dream came again. Like it had every night, since the day Firestar had come to the gorge. It was clear to Skywatcher that StarClan was sending him a sign, telling him something that they could not communicate to the ThunderClan leader.

The gray tom stood, waiting in the middle of an orb of black. All around him was darkness, devoid of life and light, a starless void of nothing. Only a dim flicker of light around his paws showed he was standing in a pile of dead leaves, crinkled stems that faded into the darkness.

Then the cat appeared out of the black, her tortoiseshell fur sparkling with stars as it always did when she came to him in dreams. Relief flooded through Skywatcher as she drew nearer, her scent familiar in this strange place.

The elderly tom dipped his head in greeting. "Hello, Spottedleaf."

"Greetings, Skywatcher," the tortoiseshell mewed, eyes gleaming with some hidden light. "I bring StarClan's warning to you again, so you may tell Firestar."

"A warning…" rumbled Skywatcher. "Sometimes it seems to me that it is actually a reassurance."

"That may be," Spottedleaf meowed. "Yet now I bring it to you as a caution. The Clans are safe for now… but loyalties will be tested, and the land with seethe with hate." She paused, then spoke again, this time gentler. "The trouble will not reach SkyClan, my friend. This Clan had found their true home."

"Yes," sighed the gray-furred tom. "I just wish I had more time in it… do I have to join my ancestors so soon?"

"No cat wishes to die," murmured the she-cat, her voice soft and soothing. "But it happens anyway. It is a part of life… and death…" For a moment Skywatcher caught a glint of sorrow in Spottedleaf's gaze, but the StarClan warrior turned away. "Look, Skywatcher. Remember."

Skywatcher looked in the direction she indicated. For a heartbeat he could sense nothing in the darkness, then a tiny glimmer of light sparkled in the distance. _Stars_.

The night sky unfolded above him, a deep indigo blue overcoming the nothingness. Skywatcher stared upwards and saw three stars pulsing above the rest, their intensity rivaled only by their reflections in the lake that appeared before his eyes.

For a moment it was silent, then the brightness faded and Spottedleaf's voice echoed in his mind.

_Remember, Skywatcher._

--

The tom woke with a jolt, silver moonlight seeping into his den and tracing a pattern along the ground. It was time for Firestar to come, to listen to what he had to say. Skywatcher breathed deeply, letting the moonlit air fill him with much-needed strength, and he stood and padded outside.

The night was clear and cool. Skywatcher settled himself just outside of his den, under the thorn tree. He waited, tail flicking back and forth ever so slightly, until he felt as though he would sink back into sleep. But he knew that if he did that, he would never wake up again, and he would never get the chance to tell Firestar StarClan's warning.

Now that he accepted it, he felt fine. He was going to die. The shadow he had felt creeping up on him the past moon was finally confronted and welcomed. He was too old to keep fighting; now that SkyClan was returning he could rest peacefully.

The sound of approaching pawsteps made the elder glanced up. Firestar's ginger pelt appeared as a flash of color around a bend of the path, and the ThunderClan leader padded before him.

"You asked me to come."

Skywatcher held Firestar's gaze. "I want to thank you," he meowed. "You have rebuilt the lost Clan."

"There's no need for thanks," mewed Firestar. "I did only what I had to."

The older tom nodded thoughtfully. "Do you think you have been a good leader for ThunderClan?"

Firestar blinked, surprised. "I don't know," he replied hesitantly. "It hasn't been easy, but I've always tried to do what is right for my Clan."

"No cat would doubt your loyalty," murmured Skywatcher. "But how far would it go? There are difficult times ahead, and your loyalty will be tested to the utmost. Sometimes the destiny of one cat is not the destiny of the whole Clan."

The fiery ginger tomcat cocked his head to the side, confused, as he listened. _He will understand eventually,_ thought Skywatcher with a sigh. He rose to his paws, feeling a surge of strength flow through him as he prepared to deliver Spottedleaf's message.

"_Your Clan is safe for now. But there will be three, kin of your kin, who hold the power of stars in their paws."_

"I don't understand… why are you telling me this?"

But the sudden power deserted him, and Skywatcher fell back. His job here was done, and he could rest. Rest, now and forever.

"You must tell me more!" protested Firestar. "How can I decide what I should do if you don't explain?"

Skywatcher breathed deeply. His words were soft, age-weathered, as he spoke.

"Farewell, Firestar. In seasons to come, remember me."

Shocked into silence, the ThunderClan leader turned and ran off at Skywatcher's dismission. The elderly tom waited as Firestar's lingering scent dulled, swept away by the breeze.

He was done.

Skywatcher turned and crept into his den. He curled up, letting his paws touch the smooth stone for the last time as he closed his eyes.

For a moment the sweet scent of Spottedleaf wafted around him. "Thank you," she whispered in his ear. "Thank you, Skywatcher."

And he sank and let sleep claim him.


	24. Cinderpelt

**yes, I actually updated fast this time! thanks to all the people who reviewed, you guys are awesome! **

**the person who got the 200th review was The Moon Wolf ****-cheers and confetti in background-**** and because they asked for Cinderpelt in their review, I did Cinderpelt! congrats Moon Wolf, this is your chapter, so hopefully it's good. **

**hurrah, and thanks again to all you reviewers who helped get it that high! (now keep reviewing! xD)**

--

_Thyme, good for shock, to clear a cat's mind._

Cinderpelt recited the words to herself in her mind as she nipped off a long stem of thyme. The sweet scent filled her mouth as she inhaled, then set the leaves beside a small pile of comfrey. She almost had enough now. _In a few minutes I'll head back to camp and let these dry._

Suddenly a movement nearby made her freeze. Cinderpelt's ears flattened as she lowered herself to the ground. An intruder? What other cat could be here in the middle of the night?

Then a scent reached her as two amber eyes, barely slits in the darkness, reflected the pale moonlight across the clearing in twin pools. They surveyed the shadows anxiously, relief filling them as they turned away.

Cinderpelt crouched over the thyme, staring up as a shadow in the undergrowth shifted, then detached itself and vanished. The smell was familiar, too much so.

"Leafpool?" Her meow was no more than a whisper. Again the scent drifted on a breeze and the medicine cat slowly stood up.

_Leafpool, what are you doing? What are you doing that you are so afraid someone will catch you?_

The answer came to her, though she did not want to believe it. Cinderpelt hissed, letting her breath out in one stream. She had noticed the tension that had gripped Leafpool, the glances and unspoken words at Gatherings. Her apprentice was so tired that she gave the wrong herbs to cats, even after what should have been a good night's sleep. _Of course!_ Of course Leafpool was sneaking out at night. Cinderpelt abandoned her herbs, following Leafpool's scent trail.

Leafpool was moving quickly through the forest, and as she went on she padded faster, her scent tinged with excitement. Cinderpelt panted, her twisted leg slowing her down, but she did not stop. She could not lose her apprentice to some mousebrained tom!

Suddenly Cinderpelt stopped, her ears pricked. Just ahead of her she could hear Leafpool's ecstatic mew, and the rumbling answer of a familiar voice. Crowfeather. She should have known.

"I'm so glad you could come!" purred Leafpool. "Did you have any trouble getting away from camp?"

_Now or never._ Cinderpelt pushed her way through the undergrowth, noisily enough that the cats would hear.

Leafpool tensed, spinning around. "All right, Squirrelflight," she snapped. "I know you're there."

The anger on her face turned to shock as Cinderpelt limped through the ferns. "Wha-what are you doing here?" she stammered, glancing back helplessly at Crowfeather. The WindClan tom was silent, his icy blue eyes narrowed.

Cinderpelt sighed. "You know what I'm doing, Leafpool. I'm here to tell you this has to stop."

"I don't know what you mean."

_Great StarClan, Leafpool._ "Don't lie to me. Not with that WindClan warrior standing there, on our territory." Cinderpelt urged the tabby to understand. _Now is not the time for divided loyalties!_

Leafpool flinched and looked away, unable to meet her mentor's gaze. "I suppose Squirrelflight told you to follow me," she growled.

"Squirrelflight? No, I was collecting herbs when I picked up your scent and a WindClan cat's close by. I came to see what was going on. Besides, do you think I didn't suspect you'd been sneaking out at night?"

"You've been spying on me?" Fear prickled in Leafpool's fur as she backed away.

"I didn't need to," Cinderpelt meowed. "You're obviously so exhausted that you can't do your job properly. Only yesterday you tried to give Sootfur borage leaves instead of watermint for his bellyache. As for Crowfeather, I can't say I'm surprised. Do you think I haven't noticed the two of you at Gatherings? I'm not blind, Leafpool."

"Wait," started Crowfeather, padding to the light brown tabby's side. "This is between me and Leafpool. She's not betraying her Clan, if that's what you think."

Cinderpelt turned her bright blue gaze on him. "I never imagined she would. But she shouldn't be here with you, and you know that as well as I do."

The WindClan tom bristled, his dark fur fluffing up as he unsheathed his claws. Leafpool pushed in front of him quickly. "It's okay, Crowfeather. I can handle this." Sadly she continued, "You'd better go back to your camp."

"And leave you alone to get your ears clawed?"

Cinderpelt snorted, glaring at the enemy warrior. Leafpool shook her head. "She won't do that," she mewed. "Please."

Crowfeather hesitated for a heartbeat, then dipped his head and bounded off towards WindClan territory. Leafpool's hungry gaze followed him until the last sign of the tom had vanished. Warily she turned back to face her mentor. "We aren't doing any harm," she muttered.

"Leafpool!" hissed Cinderpelt. "Crowfeather belongs to a different Clan, but that's only the beginning. You're a medicine cat. You can't fall in love, not with Crowfeather, not with any cat. You have always known that."

Leafpool's tortured expression showed her regret at having to follow the ancient rule. "It's not fair," she complained. "I've got feelings too, just like any other cat."

"Of course you have," the gray-furred she-cat mewed, trying to suppress the hurt and anger that boiled up inside of her, things she had tried her hardest to forget. She had feelings too, being a medicine cat did not make her automatically heartless. But she knew she had to give them up, and so did Leafpool. "We have to control those feelings for the good of the Clan. The path we follow has its own rewards. I've never felt cheated by the destiny StarClan sent me."

Her apprentice turned on her, spitting furiously. "You can't possibly understand, you never loved anyone!"

Cinderpelt felt a snarl rumbling in her throat as she stared at Leafpool, her icy gaze fixed on the younger she-cat. _Oh, yes, Leafpool? Haven't I ever loved anyone? No, it's you who doesn't understand. _She narrowed her eyes. _Every day is torment, every day I have to remind myself that it's for the good of the Clan. You're young, you think you can do whatever you wish. Well, I'm here to tell you the bitter truth._

"It's easy for you," Leafpool continued edgily. "You've never wanted anything else."

_Breaking point._ Cinderpelt extended her claws, feeling her pelt prickle. "How do you know what I want?" she hissed, the beginning of a growl creeping into her voice. "How do you know what hopes I gave up to follow the path StarClan laid down for me?"

Leafpool blinked, stepping back. Her anger turned to surprise as she realized how mad her mentor was.

"You'll come back to camp with me now!" growled Cinderpelt. "And stop this nonsense for good. It's for your own sake, Leafpool. Meeting Crowfeather can't be right if you have to lie and sneak around in the shadows. I haven't spent all this time training you to be a good medicine cat for you to throw it away like this. Your Clan needs you!"

"No! I won't come!" Defiance flashed in Leafpool's eyes as she glowered at her mentor. "I'll go on seeing Crowfeather whenever I want to, and there's nothing you can do to stop me!"

Cinderpelt snarled and leaped at her apprentice. Leafpool gasped and darted off, running at full speed towards WindClan territory. Cinderpelt stumbled after her for a few steps, but she knew she could never catch up with her lame leg.

_She's gone… gone, and the Clan will have no one to replace me…_ The gray she-cat panted, her fury burning itself out as dread replaced it. Ever since her dream at the Moonpool she had been trying to teach Leafpool every last scrap of her knowledge, but know it was gone, wasted… and very soon ThunderClan would be without a medicine cat…

Grief throbbing in her body like a wound, Cinderpelt turned and trudged back to camp. She barely paused as she passed the place she had left her herbs and continued limping without picking them up. _What's the use? It's over now._ Then she shook her head. _No… StarClan must have a reason for this. I have to believe they will take care of Leafpool._

Sadly the medicine cat disappeared into the undergrowth.

--

Cinderpelt curled in her den, unable to face any cat after Brambleclaw reported that they had lost Leafpool's scent in WindClan territory. They tiny spark of hope that had stayed with her through the night had fizzled out, leaving nothing but dull grief and fear. _What will ThunderClan do without a medicine cat?_ the she-cat wondered. She didn't want to think about it.

But other thoughts demanded attention too, feelings stirred up by Leafpool's departure. Cinderpelt turned in her mossy nest, giving her fur a half-hearted lick. For the longest time she had buried her emotions for the good of her Clan, but Leafpool had unknowingly clawed them, reopening the wounds.

"_From this day forward, until she has earned her warrior name, this apprentice will be known as Cinderpaw. Fireheart, you are ready for your first apprentice. You will begin Cinderpaw's training."_

_Cinderpaw looked up at her new mentor with respect. Darkstripe and Dustpelt were always grumbling about how a kittypet was let into the Clan, but she thought Fireheart was really nice. _I'm so lucky to have him as a mentor!_ she thought._

Cinderpelt shook her head. She was so young then, carefree. _Like Leafpool,_ she mused. _I thought I could do what I liked, and no cat could stop me._ She knew otherwise now. Firestar was the leader, and he had Sandstorm as a mate. She was a medicine cat, forbidden to love any others. But she did… she did and it hurt her so much.

_Cinderpelt looked up from the poppy seeds she was feeding to Speckletail as Fireheart and Sandstorm entered the medicine cat den. Her bright blue gaze softened for a heartbeat as she saw the fiery young tom, but quickly she recovered her disguise and padded over._

"_I'll never have any more kits," rasped Speckletail, her voice hoarse with grief. "I'll be going to join the elders now."_

"_And they'll welcome you," murmured Sandstorm, soothing the older she-cat as she drifted off. With a tinge of jealousy, Cinderpelt saw the admiration with which Fireheart watched the pale ginger warrior. _No!_ she thought angrily, trying to clear her head. _You're a medicine cat! You can't…_ She cast another glance at Fireheart and finally spoke. "I'll keep Speckletail here overnight, I think."_

_The tom didn't respond, apparently too enraptured by Sandstorm to pay her any attention. Narrowing her eyes, Cinderpelt cleared her throat._

_Fireheart's head jerked up, and his green eyes met hers, confused. "Oh, sorry – what?"  
_

"If_ you're not too busy to listen, I said I'll keep Speckletail with me overnight." _

"_Good idea, thanks." He glanced around, then flicked his tail. "There's something you need to know, and I'd like you to have another look at Bluestar."_

"_Oh?" Cinderpelt's ears pricked. "What's the matter with her?"_

"_There's a dog loose in the forest. The patrols found evidence of it, half-eaten prey, dirt, everything. But Bluestar won't listen, she thinks WindClan is invading ThunderClan territory, although there's no WindClan scent!" Fireheart spoke in a low tone, making sure that the other cats in the den couldn't hear. "She's so confused. She must be, to declare war on StarClan like that. And there's a Gathering in a few nights. What's going to happen if she starts accusing WindClan in front of the other cats?"_

"_Now, wait a minute," meowed Cinderpelt. "This is your Clan leader you're talking about. You should respect her opinions even if you don't agree with them."_

_Annoyance flared in Fireheart's eyes. "This isn't just a disagreement! There isn't a scrap of proof for what she suggests!" He hesitated as Sandstorm glanced over, and spoke in a softer voice. "Bluestar was a great leader, every cat knows that. But now… I can't trust her judgement, Cinderpelt. Not when she isn't making any sense."_

_Cinderpelt licked his ear. "You should still try to understand her. Show her a bit of sympathy, at least. She deserves that from every cat."_

_Inwardly she flinched as Fireheart glared at her. "Do you think I haven't tried?" he snapped. "If I'm any more sympathetic, my fur will fall out!"_

"_Your fur looks fine to me," the medicine cat mewed dryly._

"_Look…" Fireheart took a deep breath. "Bluestar missed the last Gathering. If she doesn't go to the next one, every cat in the forest will know something's wrong. Can't you give her something to make her more reasonable?"_

_Cinderpelt sighed. "I'll try, but there's a limit to what herbs can do. She's gotten over the effects of the fire, you know. This trouble started long before that, when she found out about Tigerstar. She's old and tired, and she thinks she losing everything she believed in, even StarClan."_

"_Especially StarClan," muttered the ginger tom. "And if she-"_

"_Finished talking secrets?" growled Sandstorm, standing to pad up to them. She fixed Cinderpelt with a territorial glare as she spoke, though her head was turned so Fireheart couldn't see. "Speckletail's asleep. I'll leave her to you, Cinderpelt."_

_Cinderpelt met the she-cat's stare with her own icy gaze. "Thanks for your help, Sandstorm." _

_Fireheart hesitated, as though he could feel the tension but not grasp what it was about. "We'll go and eat, then," he mewed finally._

"_And afterward you need to rest," Sandstorm told him. "You've been on your paws since dawn." She propelled Fireheart away from the medicine cat den, flicking her tail at Cinderpelt as she stalked past. Her hidden glare sent a clear message. _Keep away from Fireheart.

_The gray-furred medicine cat narrowed her eyes. "Send some fresh-kill for me and Speckletail," she called. "If you've got time, that it."_

"_Of course I've got time," meowed Fireheart, looking honestly confused. "I'll see to it right away."_

"_Good." Cinderpelt nodded, her gaze trained on him all the way across the clearing._

Cinderpelt growled, clawing her nest as the last scraps of the memory faded away. _ At least Firestar's happy now,_ she thought bitterly. _Sandstorm's nice to him… he has two kits…_ Furiously she willed her pain to leave.

"_Badger_!"

The medicine cat's head jerked up as the yowl rang outside her den. She leaped up and padded as fast as she could to peer outside.

Squirrelflight was backing away from the thorn barrier as a low growling sound filled the air. The bracken crackled and ripped as a huge black and white shape thrust through it, surveying the camp with dark beady eyes.

Badgers! Cinderpelt gasped as more of the creatures tore through the thorns, snarling with fury. One lumbered towards her and she spat at it, unsheathing her claws, but a sudden jolt of terror grasped her. _I can't fight a full grown badger! Not with my broken leg!_

The badger growled and lunged for her, but a golden-brown shape intercepted it and raked its face with razor sharp claws. The cat, Thornclaw, snarled and bit down on the badger's ear, and the two tumbled backwards into the center of the camp.

"Cinderpelt!" The gray she-cat turned to see Brackenfur stumbling towards her, eyes wide. "Sorreltail's kits are coming! She needs your help!"

"Great StarClan, _now_?" Cinderpelt closed her eyes. In the nursery she would be unable to defend herself if a badger broke through. But Sorreltail needed her, and she couldn't leave her. Besides, StarClan had already told her of her fate… if she was going to die defending Sorreltail and her kits, she would not run away.

Cinderpelt limped after Brackenfur as he ran towards the nursery. Squirrelflight was waiting outside, her ginger tail fluffed up. "If Sorreltail's kits are really coming, she can't be moved," meowed the medicine cat as Clouddtail and Brightheart appeared from the bramble thicket, each carrying a kit. "One of you must stay to guard the entrance. The rest of you, do what you can to save yourselves and the kits." Without waiting for a reply she spun around and entered the nursery.

It was darker inside, and the sounds of battle were partly muffled. Sorreltail lay at the back of the den, her round belly contracting. Cinderpelt padded to her, murmuring softly. "I'm here, I'll help you."

"Cinderpelt," gasped Sorreltail. "What's happening? Are there really badgers attacking?"

Cinderpelt hesitated, but she knew she had to tell the tortoiseshell queen the truth. "Yes. Brackenfur's on guard, though. He won't let any hurt you."

"I trust him," Sorreltail whispered, and closed her eyes. Cinderpelt crouched by her side, relieved that the she-cat stayed calm. It would make the kitting easier for her.

Suddenly a roar sounded just outside the nursery, followed by Brackenfur's outraged yowl. Cinderpelt could just see a huge black and white shape swiping at the warrior. _Hurry,_ she silently asked. _Please, let the kits come._

Too slow. Outside, the badger flung Brackenfur away and ripped into the brambles guarding the nursery. Sorreltail's eyes snapped open and she let out a wail. "My kits! My kits!"

"Shhh, you're doing fine," whispered Cinderpelt, but terror sparked along her spine as the badger tried to break the thorn tendrils. "The kits are coming."

Then her belly lurched as she heard a horrible cracking sound and she realized that the badger had broken through.

The huge creature growled as it blundered forward, targeting Sorreltail with its beady black eyes. Cinderpelt yowled, leaping to scratch its face with her claws. _I'm not going to let Sorreltail die too!_

The badger turned to follow her, ignoring Sorreltail's whimpers as it traced Cinderpelt's path. The gray she-cat limped quickly across the den, leading the creature away from the helpless queen. The badger snapped at her, its jaws only a whisker-breadth from her face, and it pushed her against the walls.

_Trapped!_

The badger raised its massive paw, the blunt claws shining in the dim light. Cinderpelt crouched back, the knowledge that there was no way to escape filling her mind.

"StarClan help me!"

Then the claws ripped into her flesh, and she became pain.

--

"Cinderpelt!"

Her name drifted faintly, calling from far away. The gray she-cat lay silently, unwilling to move. Distantly she felt the gash along her flank, the warm blood flowing onto the ground around her, but it did not matter.

The touch of fur roused her, brushing against her muzzle and reigning her back in from her sleep. "Cinderpelt… Cinderpelt, it's me, Leafpool. Please… Wake up…"

Slowly the medicine cat opened her eyes, relief covering her pain. "Leafpool," she rasped. "I prayed to StarClan you would come back."

"I never should have left you," Leafpool whispered. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. Cinderpelt, please don't die!" She looked down and desperately pawed at a clump of moss, scooping it up and pressing it against Cinderpelt's wound. "You're going to be fine," she meowed, more trying to convince herself than any other cat. "As soon as the bleeding stops I'll fetch some marigold to make sure the wound doesn't get infected, and some poppy seeds for the pain. You'll be able to have a good long sleep, and you'll feel much better when you wake up."

_I'm not going to wake up._ "Stop it, Leafpool," Cinderpelt rasped. "There's no point. I'm going to join StarClan."

"Don't say that!" gasped Leafpool. Horror flickering in her amber gaze, she clawed up more moss.

Cinderpelt attempted to raise her head and comfort her apprentice, but she couldn't. "It's all right," she murmured. "StarClan told me they would come for me soon. This is the fate they have laid down for me."

"You knew?" Leafpool stared, and Cinderpelt guessed how she felt – like she had just been thrown over the edge of a cliff, with nothing to keep her from the agony below. "You… you knew you were going to die and you didn't tell me?"

"It was my destiny, not yours," coughed Cinderpelt. The last of the moss Leafpool had given her fell away, leaving the wound to bleed, but she didn't care. It wouldn't change her fate.

"But you knew I was meeting Crowfeather!" protested Leafpool. "You knew that if I went away ThunderClan would be left without a medicine cat! Cinderpelt, you should have _forced_ me to stay!"

"I would never force you to do anything Leafpool. I didn't want you to stay if you would be unhappy. You must want to be a medicine cat with all your heart." _I forgive you, Leafpool,_ Cinderpelt thought. _I know what it's like to be torn between your Clan and your feelings._

"I do," Leafpool told her. "I do."

"You are a wonderful medicine cat," murmured Cinderpelt. She felt herself slipping away, but she did not try to grasp at the last shreds of her life or hold on, only reassure Leafpool that everything was going to be okay.

"No, I'm not! I went away and left you and my Clan. Oh, Cinderpelt, I'm so sorry!" The light brown tabby's eyes filled with pain and regret as she wailed.

"There's nothing to forgive. I am happy to join StarClan knowing that ThunderClan will be cared for."

"No!" Leafpool cried. "This is all my fault! I should have been here! I-"

Cinderpelt flicked her tail weakly. "It would have made no difference," she rasped. "We just have to have the courage to know what it is, and accept it." She looked up, her ice blue eyes watching the world one final time as her vision faded. "StarClan are waiting for me. Goodbye, Leafpool."

She closed her eyes.

"Cinderpelt!"

She heard the caterwaul, but it was cut off by the smothering blackness she was wrapped in. The numbing dark covered her pain as she sank down, into nothing. Panic gripped the last flickers of her mind. _Where are the stars? Where is StarClan?_

_Peace, Cinderpelt. _Bluestar's voice echoed in her mind. _Your body has died, but your time to join StarClan has not yet come. _

_What do you mean?_

_You did not get to live your life as a warrior, and so you will have the chance to choose…_ Bluestar's comforting mew faded as the darkness seemed to thicken. Cinderpelt tried to move and found that she was frozen. _What-?_ But she could not continue, for she couldn't remember who she was or what she was doing.

_Farewell, Cinderkit._

And the darkness vanished.


	25. Rainfur

**Okay, so it took me a long time to start this chapter, and I finally finished it. At least it's not as long a time between updates, right? or maybe it is... I don't remember.**

**anyway, please review! Whitethroat and Smokepaw are also added to the list.**

--

"Rainfur! Petalnose! Rainfur! Petalnose!"

The gray-furred tom drew himself up to his full height, eyes glinting in the light of the setting sun. He waved his tail back and forth, challenging any rat to come attack him. A fox-length away Petalnose raised her head, proudly drinking in the warmth of her Clanmates as they yowled her warrior name.

Slowly the meows died, fading along with the sun. Night spread over SkyClan territory like a thick blanket of snow, and the moon's light bathed the dark gorge in silver tones. Rainfur closed his eyes and pressed against Petalnose as they padded away with the rest of their new Clan.

Firestar leaped from the Rockpile, fur bristling at the growing doubts that flickered in all the cats' minds. "All warriors go to the top of the cliff," he mewed. "Wait there while Echosong and Petalnose go to the nursery with the kits."

Rainfur touched his mate's flank with his nose. "Be careful," Petalnose murmured, eyes wide with fear. "The rats… they destroyed the old Clan…" Her meow quavered and Rainfur remembered how the rats had swarmed the camp the night before.

"I'll be fine," the tomcat promised. "Look after the kits. I'll be back after we drive those rats out."

Petalnose said nothing, just gazed at him for a long moment with sadness in her eyes. Then she turned and followed Firestar and Echosong to the nursery. Rainfur stood and starred after her, then shook his head and bounded up to the cliff to meet with the other warriors.

Firestar appeared after a few minutes, his ginger fur glowing in the moonlight. "Ready?" he asked. "Let's go." The ThunderClan leader turned and vanished into the undergrowth.

Sandstorm followed him, Sharpclaw and Leafdapple trailing behind her. Rainfur padded after them, hearing the rest of the patrol come as well.

Firestar waited for the others to catch up, staring into the darkness of the forest. Cherrypaw hissed into his ear, her meow barely more than a whisper. "This way." She crept forward softly, and Firestar followed her. Tension filled the air, prickling along the pelts of the SkyClan cats.

Rainfur stiffened as the patrol broke through the undergrowth and entered the scrubland around the abandoned Twoleg barn. It seemed quiet, but there was a malignant presence around the place, like a dark storm cloud hovering above. The rats could strike as quick as lightning at any time, and be just as deadly.

_No!_ Rainfur shook his head to clear his thoughts. He needed to be strong, to drive the rats away from the Clan's territory. He needed to protect Petalnose.

Silently Leafdapple rose to her paws and padded along the bushes until she faced Firestar. "You fear for us," she stated simply.

Firestar nodded, his green eyes flickering with unspoken words.

"We fear for ourselves," Leafdapple admitted. "But this is our battle, not yours. We owe it to the SkyClan cats who walked here before to try once more to defeat these rats." The she-cat paused. "You do not have to come. Should ThunderClan risk losing their leader for another Clan's sake?"

Firestar stared at her, a mixture of disbelief and amazement spreading across his face. Rainfur snorted, surprised. _Why wouldn't we want all the help we can get?_ he wondered. _Firestar knows more about this than any of _us_ do!_

Slowly Firestar dipped his head. "I have brought you this far," he meowed. "I will see you to the end of your journey." Relief flowed through the SkyClan cats as they realized that they would not have to fight alone. The ginger tom stood, flicking his tail as he looked back to the rest of the cats. "It's time."

Rainfur unsheathed his claws, and he heard Sharpclaw growl with satisfaction. Firestar crouched low, his ears flat against his head, and he darted out from the forested area and across the scrubby clearing to the Twoleg barn. Leafdapple streaked after him, her tail fluffed with in excitement. Instantly the rest of the cats followed, finally stopping to rest behind a gorse bush just outside the fence around the building.

Painted pale by the silver moon the barn looked deserted, though every cat knew what lurked behind those crumbling walls. Firestar hissed. "I wish I knew where the rats had their nest."

"Inside, I'd guess," muttered Sharpclaw, creeping forward to crouch beside the ThunderClan leader. "They're always well hidden during the day. Our patrols have never spotted them."

Firestar spat. "I'd hoped we wouldn't have to fight them inside there."

"It's not like a cave," Sparrowpaw piped up. "It's _huge_. There's plenty of room to get away."

The fiery ginger tomcat nodded, but he seemed uncomfortable with the idea of fighting inside. Sharpclaw noticed his hesitation and spoke up. "I'll lead half the patrol inside," he offered. "The rest of you can stay out here, and with any luck we'll be able to lure the rats outside and fight in the open."

"Good idea," meowed Firestar. "I'll come in with you."

"We want to come to," murmured Cherrypaw, her tail resting on her brother's shoulder.

"Okay. And Shortwhisker. The rest of you stay outside. Sandstorm, you're in charge."

Rainfur padded to stand beside the pale-furred she-cat with Leafdapple, Patchfoot and Clovertail as Firestar and Sharpclaw led their group towards the Twoleg barn. "When do we get to go fight?" the gray tom hissed.

Sandstorm glanced at him. "Wait for them to bring the rats outside, or go at my signal." Her gripped the ground with unsheathed claws, clearly ready to claw the life out of any rat that came too near.

Rainfur flicked his tail and sat down as Firestar's half of the patrol disappeared into the barn. Leafdapple stood on his other side, her eyes glinting. For a long minute, nothing happened. "Are they okay?" whispered Patchfoot, staring at the Twoleg building.

Then a yowl came from the barn. "_Stop_!" Rainfur leaped to his paws and saw a wave of rats fill the gap in the wall that the patrol had entered through.

Clovertail gasped. "We have to help them!"

"You can't, not yet!" yelled Sandstorm, but Rainfur ignored her as he charge for the opening. "Attack, SkyClan!" he screeched. The tom heard the rest of the patrol bounding after him as he ran towards the Twoleg building. Clovertail yowled just behind him as they neared the gap and sprang inside.

"No! Get back!" Firestar glanced up in dismay as Rainfur dove into the Twoleg barn, but the tom ignored him and raced into the first wave of rats. Leafdapple and Clovertail burst through behind him and almost instantly screeching knots of cats and rats tumbled on the ground.

Firestar's patrol sprang apart to help them, and Rainfur hissed in satisfaction. Now they would defeat the rats!

But for every one that fell, there were more to take its place. A jolt of fear coursed through him as he leaped for a rat only to be bowled over by another two. The gray tom panicked, writhing wildly under the snarling bodies as pain tore through his flank. Then they were torn away, squealing, and Rainfur stared up to see Leafdapple standing over him.

"Thanks," the warrior panted. Leafdapple nodded, and leaped off into the battle. Rainfur spun around, ignoring the gash on his side where the rat had scratched him, and clawed at the next wave of rodents that tried to swarm him.

Sharpclaw and Cherrypaw were ahead of him, yowling as they broke through row after row of rats. Rainfur ran to help them when Firestar's screeched stopped him in his tracks.

"Out! Every cat get out!" The fiery ginger tomcat started towards the gap in the Twoleg barn, Sandstorm right behind him. Rainfur growled in consternation; had they come all this way only to retreat, to be driven off yet _again_? No! He had to fight to protect Petalnose, and nothing – not even the StarClan that Firestar claimed existed – would stop him from protecting her!

Leafdapple and Sparrowpaw were both forcing their way towards the entrance now. Rainfur snapped at them as they passed. "We need to be fighting?" he hissed. "Don't you see?" But Leafdapple only blinked at him and kept herding her apprentice forward.

Rainfur narrowed his eyes, but stopped trying to convince the others to fight. Well, if this Clan thing was going to work, he _would_ have to listen to the leader. The gray tom turned and began to push towards the gap.

The only problem was that all the other cats had gotten through, so he had the rats' undivided attention.

The first circle closed in on him, the rodents' black beady eyes glittering. Rainfur snarled at them and swiped, but his paws missed their target. Terror finally grasped him with icy claws, and the tom looked up to see where the gap was.

Firestar and Sandstorm were waiting there, staring at him with fear in their green eyes. An unspoken shout licker in their gaze, and Rainfur turned just as a gigantic rat leaped for his throat.

Rainfur gasped as he was thrown back onto the floor of the Twoleg barn. The rat twisted, trying to get a grip on his fur, and a sharp pain shot through his body as fang met in his throat. The tom squirmed helplessly as more rats poured forward to bite his unprotected flanks.

Suddenly a yowl cut through the mass, and the rats scattered, leaving Rainfur choking on the ground. He struggled up, but the tide of rats pulled him back down again as they surged around his paws once more. He looked up through the blanket of dark furry bodies and saw Firestar fighting more creatures, forcing his way back through the sea of rats.

"Help me," gasped Rainfur, but Firestar did not hear. Instead a single rat leaped onto the ThunderClan leader's back and sank its claws into the fiery tom's throat.

Sandstorm caterwauled. "No!" She raced forward, flinging away rats with every step as she bounded across the floor of the barn.

Something warm and sticky trickled down Rainfur's sides as the pricks of a dozen rats' claws drove their way into his flesh. Scarlet matted his ash-colored fur. His limbs felt too heavy to be fine. Darkness pressed down on his vision as he realized this was one battle he could not win.

_Petalnose!_

Rainfur struggled to move, but his legs would not respond. The rats closed in tighter, suffocating, biting, snarling. And still the huge rat would not release his throat. The sting of that bite was more agonizing than anything he had ever known.

Blood gurgled in his mouth as he panted. Rainfur cast a final glance up at Sandstorm, who was now only fox-length away form him and Firestar. His eyes looked at her, pleading, asking for what he knew she could not give him.

_Help me._

Her green eyes widened in apology, and she ducked her head to not see his dimming gaze. Rainfur closed his eyes. Sandstorm had to help Firestar. That was what mattered to her. His life was less important.

A thought struck him, somehow piercing his mind even through the layer of tearing rats above his slowing body. _Was I even important at all?_ He wondered, though he knew it was too late.

The pain was dulling now. The dull brown-gray of rat fur faded into black. He had failed Petalnose, left her and her kits to fend for themselves against the rats.

_I'm sorry._

He remember what Firestar had said, about their warrior ancestors watching over them. He wondered if there really was a StarClan.

He hoped so.


	26. Fallen Leaves

**yep, so, another not-too-slow update. This time Fallen Leaves. Well, no one actually _voted_ last time, so I just did him. review! vote! please!**

The tom's fur bristled in excitement as he tasted the wind, his green eyes glowing in the moonlight. He stared into the indigo sky, taking a deep breath, and plunged down the slope with the rest of the patrol. Their furry bodies pressed around him, tails streaming behind them as they ran.

Silver Birch bounded alongside him, her tabby pelt rippling. "Are you sure you are ready for this?" she whispered. Her eyes were filled with anxiety, but underneath that was fierce pride.

Fallen Leaves glared ahead. Of course he was ready! He had been waiting to become a sharpclaw for moons, and now his time had finally come! There was no way he would leave now. "I'm ready," he meowed.

"You're my eldest, Fallen Leaves," the tom's mother mewed. "The first of mine to face the ordeal."

"I'll be _fine_."

"He was trained well," called Mudslide, the tom running a few tail lengths behind the softpaw. "He'll be okay." Fallen Leaves felt a flash of gratitude. At least some cats didn't fret over him like a tiny kit.

Then Nettle growled, his voice low and ominous, every bit at stinging as the plant he was named after. "Even trainin' can't prepare a softpaw for rain!"

"But the sky's clear," Fallen Leaves protested, glancing up.

"I smell rain on the wind, I tell you!" hissed Nettle. Murmurs of alarm spread through the cats, and Fallen Leaves narrowed his eyes.

"The sky's clear," the tom repeated. The cats around him slowed down and stopped as they reached where they were going. It was a vast slope of land where the wind and rain had washed away the land, revealing smooth stone beneath like a jagged field of rock among the moorland.

"Good luck, softpaw!"

He would no longer be a softpaw after tonight! Fallen Leaves smiled in anticipation. As he bounded down the cliff, the tom heard Silver Birch stumbling after him. "Take care!" she called, brushing his muzzle.

"I'll see you at dawn," he promised, and the queen reluctantly padded back up to where the other cats were waiting.

Fallen Leaves turned, ready to face whatever was coming to him. A black gash in the stone opened in front of him, and his ginger and white fur bristled. He had never been inside before, and he had no idea what terrors lurked in the dark shadows. Slowly the tom padded forward, the darkness swallowing him up after only a few pawsteps into. Fear flooded him as he turned around a bend and the moonlight from outside faded, leaving nothing but deep black.

_The tunnel will take you to the cave_, muttered his tutor in his mind. _Let your whiskers guide you_. Fallen Leaves quivered, his whiskers twitching as they sensed the narrow passage walls.

Suddenly a dim light shone ahead, and the softpaw ran towards it with relief. The thin tunnel opened abruptly into a large cavern, arching sides glowing faintly in the pale moonlight that filtering in from a gap above. The sound of rushing water reached Fallen Leaves' ears, and he blinked in surprise. A river? Underground?

The softpaw stared as he saw a wide stream. It ran across the sandy floor, splitting the ground in two. The dark water glinted in the moonlight, rushing along the length of the cave.

"Fallen Leaves?"

The tom jumped at the rasping mew, and he jerked his head up to see a high ledge across the cave. On it was a strange creature, illuminated by the moonlight that trickled in through the gap.

Rock?

The cat had no fur, except for a few tufts on his back. His large, sightless eyes bulged, staring down sightlessly over curved claws. Under his paws was a bare stick, crossed with countless scratches. The creature ran his tail along the smooth wood.

"I can feel your surprise," the cat hissed. "It pricks my pelt like gorse."

Fallen Leaves gulped, embarrassment flickering through him. "I – I'm sorry," he apologized. "It's just… I did not expect-"

"You did not expect a cat could grow so ugly," rasped Rock.

Fallen Leaves froze, his fur bristling with shame.

"A cat needs wind and sun to shine his fur and good hunting to trim his claws," Rock growled. "But I must stay close to our warrior ancestors; those who have taken their place beneath the earth."

"And for that we thank you," the softpaw murmured dipping his head.

"Don't thank me," Rock snapped. "It was a destiny I was bound to follow. Besides, you may not feel so grateful to me once your initiation has begun." He felt the stick again, tracing the claw marks with grim remembrance. "The uncrossed lines mark the cats who went into the tunnels but did not come out."

Fallen Leaves looked around nervously. The tunnels loomed above him like dark mouths ready to swallow a cat up. "Which tunnels did they go into?" he asked.

"I cannot help you," Rock sighed. "To become a sharpclaw, you must find your own way out. I can only send you on your way with the blessing of our ancestors."

"Can't you give me _any_ advice?" protested Fallen Leaves.

"Without light, you will have only your instincts. Follow them and if they are true, you will be safe."

"What if they are not true?" the softpaw whispered, though he already knew the answer.

"Then you will die in darkness."

Fallen Leaves raised his head. "I'm not going to die."

"I hope not," meowed Rock. "You know you are not allowed to return to this cave? You must find a tunnel that leads straight back to the moor." Then, his expression thoughtful, the misshapen tom sniffed the air. "Is it raining?" he asked suddenly.

Fallen Leaves narrowed his eyes, remembering what Nettle had said, and the slight tingling of the air. Rain _might_ come, but was it worth giving up his chance to be a sharpclaw? _No_. "The sky is clear," he mewed carefully.

Rock nodded, feeling the stick underneath his paws. "Then begin."

Fallen Leaves glanced at the tunnels once more, then leaped over the river that cut across the floor of the cave and bounded into the tunnel under Rock's ledge. It sloped upwards, so there was a chance it could lead him to the moorland. _By dawn I will be a sharpclaw,_ he thought. _I hope._

His paws felt unsteady at first on the slick stone ground, but soon he found his balance. The tunnel narrowed around him, brushing the sides of his flank with cold. Fallen Leaves gritted his teeth and padded forward faster as the tunnel wound and turned.

A pool of moonlight covered the floor in front of him. Fallen Leaves ran towards it, tasting the fresh breeze of the moorland as he saw a gap in the rock over his head. _Not far now!_ he thought triumphantly.

Suddenly the tunnel swerved downhill. Fallen Leaves blinked in confusion. Downward? He had been so close!

For a moment doubt flickered in the tom's mind, but he shoved it away. He would get out of this place! Fallen Leaves narrowed his eyes and trekked onward as the tunnel twisted down, snaking in an erratic path. Smooth stone grazed his fur, and his whiskers twitched as he stared into the almost utter darkness.

Suddenly the black space ahead of him split, the narrow tunnel curving off into two separate paths. Fallen Leaves halted, his tail flicking nervously. He padded tentatively towards one, then sniffed the air. The tunnel in front of him smelled musty and dry, but the other one carried the scent of heather. It must lead to the moorland!

The ginger-and-white softpaw backed up and stared into the second pathway. Suddenly his ears pricked. Were those pawsteps behind him? He turned, but saw nothing.

_Stop it!_ Fallen Leaves reprimanded himself. _This is no time to lose your nerve!_

Anxiously the tom ran into the second tunnel. He noticed that the ground sloped downwards again, but the smell of fresh air beckoned him. Hope flared in his chest as he saw another puddle of moonlight. Was it an opening? Fallen Leaves stared up, but the gap in the rock was too high for him to reach. Fear pounded through him as he realized that drops of rain pattered down through the hole. _No!_ Nettle had been right.

The softpaw shot forward, nearly crashing into the sides of the tunnel as he darted deeper into the darkness. He had to find a way out of here! His paws skidded on the slippery floor, which was growing steadily slicker as the more rain trickled in. Alarm tingled down his spine and he ran faster.

Suddenly the darkness ended, and Fallen Leaves halted before a hard gray wall.

_Dead end!_

He stared at the stone. No! He had almost made it to the moor! Gasping, Fallen Leaves whirled around and bolted back down the tunnel, his fur tingling. Now he was almost sure he heard pawsteps behind him. Maybe some poor cat who had not made it out of the tunnels was here to follow him. Did that mean _he_ was going to die, too? _I won't!_ Fallen Leaves growled to himself. _I'll get out!_

The tunnel dipped down abruptly, and water lapped at the tom's fur hungrily. He staggered through it and ran towards the uphill slope at the other side of the tunnel, but the water level rose with him.

Flood!

Fallen Leaves turned and raced into a new opening in the tunnel. It was narrow and confining, but it had not flooded yet. The softpaw panted and glanced up as light washed over him, but the hole was too far up.

The sound of water splashing brought him to a halt, and Fallen Leaves gasped as the tunnel in front of him veered down so sharply that water licked the roof. He scrambled backward and darted back, hoping he could remember the route back to Rock's cave. He knew he could not go back, but whatever punishment Rock could give him would be nothing compared to drowning in the darkness of the tunnels!

He turned out of the side tunnel and saw with a jolt of horror that the water level had risen even more, now lapping at his paws as he stumbled forward. The pawsteps behind him grew more frantic, and Fallen Leaves turned as a whoosh of wind pushed him from behind. He yowled as he saw water was surging down the path towards him in a frenzied wave.

_Run!_

The tom stared in disbelief at the wall of water closing in on him. Suddenly the sound of pawsteps vanished, and Fallen Leaves gaped as a dark gray tom appeared, pulled away by the splashing waves. His blue eyes were wide with fright as he stared at Fallen Leaves.

"Save me!" the softpaw caterwauled.

The gray tom choked and vanished underwater as the roaring grew louder. Fallen Leaves turned and started to run again, but the wall crashed down on him, squeezing the breath out of his lungs. He gasped for air, but all that came to him was water.

_Help! Someone!_

Terror pounding through him, he struggled to move his paws, but they would not obey him. The current dragged him along like a leaf, like his name.

He smashed into hard stone and was swept away just as quickly, his foreleg stinging with pain. For a heartbeat he was lifted into a pocket of air and he sputtered, gulping in a breath before the water pulled him down again. The gray tom with the icy blue eyes whirled motionless in the water beside him, and then was gone.

Fallen Leaves was sucked down to the bottom of the tunnel, then twisted around and tossed again and again onto the rock walls. He no longer knew which way was up, and he could only feel cold, dark water all around him. He was lost, tugged along with the current, helpless against its power. The tom choked for air, but found nothing.

His paws would not move. The roaring of the water grew fainter, until it was a dull throb in his ears. His body was numb, silent, unresponsive.

The ginger-and-white tom felt himself go limp. The water pressed down on him from all directions, dulling and dark. Where was he? Lost in the maze of underground? Lost to die without the sun? His terror blurred, growing fainter as he felt his mind shutting down.

_Good job, softpaw._

Fallen Leaves closed his eyes, the world smothering him in blackness. He saw Silver Birch, waiting outside the tunnel for him when he would never come. He saw Nettle grumbling to himself about how he was a careless softpaw. And for a final moment he saw Rock, sitting on his ledge. Under his paws was the stick. The deformed tom looked up at Fallen Leaves, glanced down at the marks in the wood, and sighed.

He sheathed his claws.


	27. Tigerstar

**hoorah, I am back! Yep, I was in Las Vegas and New York for three weeks, and then Yellowstone... plus I was being lazy and not writing. xD So I wrote this all today. It's Tigerstar! yay.**

**this chapter is slightly graphic… 0.o if you have a problem with cats describing themselves bleeding to death, then don't read it. **

**that said, I think it's one of the best chapters I've written.**

**--**

"_Well? Are you still sure that you want to stand and fight?"_

Dismay, fear, incredulousness – they were all reflected back to him in the Clan cat's eyes. The color of fear was blue, amber, green, yellow. The warriors' eyes. The ones who were foolish enough to defy him and still think they would live.

Tigerstar stared over the group that faced him, who had just come out of the bushes where he had instructed them to wait – the assembled cats of BloodClan, each with a collar covered in cat and dog teeth, trophies of the battles they had fought and lived to tell of. They surrounded TigerClan in a semicircle, their gazes cool and collecting, but with a hidden intensity that showed their strength.

"_Collars_?" A voice rang out from Firestar's group of fools. "Look at them – they're kittypets! We won't have any trouble beating them!"

Dustpelt hurried to quiet the young tom who had spoken. The BloodClan cats growled among themselves, and Tigerstar lashed his tail with a smirk.

From the rows of BloodClanners came Bone, his massive black and white body nearly the same size as Tigerstar's. Behind him padded a tiny black cat, his collar completely covered with fangs. Tigerstar dipped his head in mock respect to the puny tom.

Firestar stepped hesitantly forward, his ears pricked. "So, Tigerstar," he mewed, his green eyes revealing the panic he struggled to hide in his voice. "Do you want to tell us who your new friends are?"

"This is BloodClan," Tigerstar meowed. "They come from Twolegplace. I have brought them to the forest to persuade you foolish cats to join with me." He glared at the warriors that dared to resist him. "I knew you wouldn't have the sense to agree on your own."

Anger rippled through the ThunderClan and WindClan cats, and Tigerstar narrowed his eyes. They would soon see how stupid their decision to fight was. "You see, Firestar?" he crowed. "I am more powerful than even StarClan, for I have changed the number of Clans in the forest from four to two. TigerClan and BloodClan will rule together."

The ginger tom stared at him, shock registering in his gaze. Then he gritted his teeth and spoke. "No, Tigerstar. If you want to fight, let us fight. StarClan will show you who is more powerful."

"You mousebrained fool!" The dark tabby hissed, his amber eyes glittering. "I was prepared to come here and talk with you today. Just remember that it was you who drove us to this. And when your Clan mates are dying around you, they will blame you with their last breath." He turned to the BloodClan cats waiting behind him. "BloodClan, attack!"

They didn't move, not even a tail tip. Tigerstar's eyes widened, astonished at the very idea that some cat would disobey his orders. "Attack, I order you!" he screeched.

Scourge sneered at him, and stalked forward, looking at Firestar for a moment. "I am Scourge, leader of BloodClan." His cold stare singed Tigerstar's fur. "My warriors are not yours to command. They will attack when _I_ tell them, and not before."

Tigerstar blinked down at him disbelievingly, rage boiling deep in his heart. How dare this undersized kittypet tell him what to do? As he grasped for words that would make Scourge obey him, a flash of ginger caught the corner of his eye – Firestar, padding forward to stand in front of the two leaders.

_Fool._ The brown tabby wanted to leap and claw the kittypet's throat out right there, but he knew that would not make Scourge want to help him more. With uncharacteristic patience, he let the tom approach.

Firestar let his emerald gaze rest on the BloodClan leader as he spoke. "Greetings, Scourge. I am Firestar, leader of ThunderClan. I wish I could say you are welcome in the forest, but you would not believe me if I did, and I have no wish to lie to you." Flicking his tail at Tigerstar, he continued, "Unlike your supposed ally here, I am a cat of honor. If you've believed any promises he made to you, you're mistaken."

Tigerstar growled, but Scourge cut him off. "Tigerstar told me he had enemies in the forest. Why should I believe you instead of him?"

The ThunderClan leader took a deep breath, and in that instant Tigerstar knew what he was about to say – all the horrible things Tigerstar had ever done, stretched out of proportion to make him seem completely evil.

"Cats of all Clan, and especially cats of BloodClan, you have no need to believe or disbelieve me. Tigerstar's crimes speak for themselves. When he was still a warrior of ThunderClan, he murdered out deputy Redtail, hoping to be deputy himself. First Lionheart was chosen as deputy, but when the noble warrior died in a fight with ShadowClan, Tigerstar achieved his ambition at last."

A grim kind of quiet filled the clearing as Firestar paused. Tigerstar rumbled disdainfully, his tail lashing. "Mew away, little kittypet. It won't change anything."

The ginger leader ignored him, going on to tell of the dog attack, the trap by the Thunderpath, the other supposed crimes Tigerstar had committed. The TigerClan leader's amber eyes narrowed angrily as Firestar continued, tainting the Clan cats' minds with words of his misdeeds.

Finally he was finished, and turned to look pointedly at Scourge. "This is Tigerstar's history. It all shows one thing – that he'll do anything for power. If he promised you a share of the forest, don't believe him. He won't give up one pawprint, not to you or any cat."

Silence hung over Fourtrees, sickeningly oppressive as cats glanced at one another, their eyes wide and filled with uncertainty. Firestar finished speaking, his ginger-orange pelt bristling as Scourge the BloodClan leader considered his story. The tiny black cat flexed a claw and the pale light glistened off of it strangely – it was reinforced with dog teeth.

Tigerstar narrowed his eyes. How dare Firestar think he could stop him with his words? He let out a low snarl, unsheathing his claws.

Scourge looked at Firestar evenly. "Tigerstar told me what he was planning to do with the dogs when he visited me two moons ago." He turned, and Tigerstar felt the small cat's icy gaze burn into his fur. "He did not tell me that his plan failed."

"None of that matters now," Tigerstar growled, interrupting the BloodClan leader. "We have an agreement with you, Scourge. Fight beside me now, and you'll have all I offered you." He stared threateningly at the tom.

"My Clan and I fight when I choose," Scourge meowed, turning away to face Firestar. "I will think about what you have said. There will be no battle today."

_What?_ Fury flared in Tigerstar's mind. His tail bristled, and he crouched into a hunter's stalk. "Traitor!" He felt his muscles bunch together as he leaned forward and lunged for Scourge's throat.

He had aimed straight for the smaller cat, and shock filled his mind as he saw Scourge whirl to the side. Tigerstar shot forward, unable to change direction quickly enough, and as he did he saw the black tom lashed out with him claws – the ones covered with deadly fangs.

Agony ripped along the side of his flank, all the way from his neck to his tail, hot and sticky and burning his body. The massive tabby's scream of fury choked into a gasp at the impossible prospect that he had been hurt. Fire singed his flesh and he fell forward, past Scourge. What right did that cat have to look so pleased with himself? Tigerstar struggled to rise to his paws and attack, but they gave way, and the forest was gone.

Midnight was abrupt and complete, covering Fourtrees in a thick, cloaking layer of black. It seemed to shift in front of his eyes, the forest one heartbeat, and a shadowy land the next. What place was this?

"Tigerstar."

He whirled around, the wound in his side still cutting him with pain, though not as badly as before. A lithe silver-blue she-cat sat calmly a fox-length away, eyes filled with ice. That, and the slight twitch of her tail tip were the only signs that she was experiencing annoyance. Fury built up inside of the TigerClan leader. What, was he a mere disturbance, just a tick on her 'regal' pelt? "What do you want?" he growled, thrusting himself forward aggressively.

Bluestar did not flinch as the dark tabby stalked up to her. "You have lost your first life, Tigerstar." Her voice held the aloofness of the stars.

"My first life?" Tigerstar spat angrily. "How could I lose my life from a scratch?" He turned to look at the wound, but found that he was frozen, locked into Bluestar's freezing gaze.

"A single warrior can mean the difference between victory and defeat, a single mouse the line between live and starvation." For a heartbeat, her face showed the slightest register of emotion – sadness, perhaps reliving a memory from her lifetime. "A scratch, as you call the wound you just gained, can kill. Do not push me, Tigerstar. You must wait for your injury to heal."

The brown tabby snarled. "Don't give me that fox-dung! I don't grovel to you like those mousebrains in the Clans! The forest will be ruled by _me_, and there's nothing you fools can do about it."

The she-cat's eyes flashed. "Wrong answer."

"Wro-"

Pain flared in his flank again, as though a second slash had been drawn across the raw skin of the first wound. He yowled, feeling the darkness dissipate in sudden light. His amber eyes opened wide to see the tiny black figure of Scourge looming over him. Tigerstar twisted as his blood kept spilling, soaking the grass of Fourtrees scarlet. "What's happening?" he tried to yowl, but it came out as an inaudible gasp. StarClan hadn't healed his wound! They had sent him back early! How…. d_are_ they?

The blood that had started to clot on the wound was pushed away by the sudden flow that surged through his body. Drying blood on his fur was covered in a fresher coat as the gash reopened, denied StarClan's healing power.

His thrashes became weaker, the agony rippling along his body faded. He let out a gurgle of protest as blood bubbled in his throat. _No!_ Once again he felt the world close around him, folding his spirit up as his vision changed again.

Bluestar waited patiently in front of him, her whiskers twitching.

Tigerstar gasped in pain and staggered to his paws. "What did you do to me?" He unsheathed his claws, fury boiling inside of him, replacing the now-fading sting of the gash.

Bluestar sighed. "You just don't learn, do you?" A trace of pity entered her voice. "That was your second life, Tigerstar. I'd advise you to understand."

The dark tabby growled. He didn't need pity – especially not from StarClan. "You think you're so great," he snarled. "What can you do? Send dreams, your little omens. You mean _nothing_!"

The silver-blue she-cat flicked her tail. "You really have lost all respect, haven't you? Even for those you tried to help you in your life."

"_Help_ me? What did _you_ do? _I_ made myself a leader, the greatest leader, of _TigerClan_!"

Belatedly he wondered if it was the smartest thing to say, but his ego wouldn't let Bluestar get away with such obvious scorn. Hurt filled the former ThunderClan leader's eyes, and she curled her tail. "I'm sorry it turned out this way, Tigerstar."

Before he could reply she was gone, her sleek blue shape fading into the forest. Tigerstar felt the dark-Fourtrees dissolve under his paws; then he was no longer standing, but on his side, his body still and cold.

He felt the revival more strongly this time, his six remaining lives returning to his body. For a brief, suffocating moment all that was there was his consciousness, empty in the silent vastness of his corpse. He was nothing but a carcass, yet somehow _alive_. Then his heart stuttered to a start, beating slowly, sluggishly pumping blood along his veins, filling his limbs, making his lungs gasp in air. But the blood had nowhere to go, except through the slash Scourge had given him.

He felt it ooze out, first soaking into his brown tabby fur, then welling up faster as his body grew warm again. His heartbeat increased, and as it did so more red spilled over, flowing in a tide out from his body. He knew the instant his senses returned – the gash's pain reopened, as torturous as before. Tigerstar writhed, unable to bear the agony of having his life torn away a third time._ Somebody! Help!_

What was he doing? Asking for _help_? He was the greatest warrior this forest had known! He-

-was bleeding to death. Alone.

There had been so many followers, so many who were willing to live under his rule. But not one of them – not even his deputy – was doing anything but watch his life ebb into the dust.

For the first time he felt a glimmer of fear.

_Help…_

For a heartbeat he saw Firestar; the ginger tom was frozen, a look of horror on his face. Tigerstar wanted to spit at him. _Happy now? Happy because-_

You're dieing.

He couldn't be. No… The realization hit him with the full force of a Twoleg monster. One life, maybe two, even, could be taken from a battle. But here he was, broken and defeated, helpless as he lay struggling to breathe in front of the cats he had tried to unite. And it wasn't going to stop at two, or even three or four lives. He would be _gone, _his fate decided in a single moment on the tips of Scourge's claws.

The shadows came faster; his hold on life slipped much more quickly now that his third death was approaching. The flow of blood slowed as his heartbeat pounded to a halt. The tide of blood stopped spreading. For a sick moment he was trapped in a mangled body before the dark-Fourtrees called him into its grip.

He did not wait for the prickling of his wound to subside, but leaped up, eyes wide, as soon as he was submerged in the darkness.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" He fell at the paws of Bluestar, who was still sitting where she always sat, watching him with a new, cold detachment. "Please, I'm sorry! I swear, I'll do anything! I swear by StarClan!"

_Here, you are, begging for mercy like a rat._

Bluestar remained where she was.

"StarClan means nothing to you, doesn't it?" But it wasn't really a question.

Tigerstar quivered, his amber eyes widening in horror. All traces of superiority were gone, burned away in the flames of his fear. "Oh, StarClan, no, I can't die! I can't die! Why are you doing this to me? I'm dieing, oh, StarClan, don't, please!" He stumbled back, afraid of this new Bluestar who stared down at him with disapproving eyes. "Please! No, no! This can't happen! No! Why are you doing this?"

"You did it to yourself," the queen meowed quietly.

"No! I told you I'm sorry! You can't do this to me! You can't!" His yowl became a terrified plea, his sank his claws into the ground as though that could somehow anchor him to the shreds of his life. "Please! Oh, StarClan! Oh, StarClan, help me!"

_Please…_

Please_._

"Too late."

Tigerstar caterwauled, and felt the air crushed from his lungs. The real world appeared again, but only for a heartbeat – one heartbeat that sent the last reserves of blood coursing outside his body. He sank back, barely able to open his eyes one last time.

"StarCl-"

Five to go.

A blue and silver shape in front of him. Moving, staring, but he could hear no voice come from it. The only thing the TigerClan leader could hear was the pounding of blood in his ears – or the memory of blood, since his body was all dried. A shell. He jolted back, terrified to find that he did not feel the pain as sharply as before.

Four left.

Dark-Fourtrees flashed past even faster, not even leaving him enough time to see Bluestar watching him. Agony slashed his flank. His breath was gone. The darkness had vanished before he could move.

Three.

The tabby tried to stand. His arms and legs would not obey. Light blasted into his eyes. They closed. Stayed shut.

Two.

Desperation grabbed him. Tigerstar stretched, grasping for his life in his claws. It slipped through, sliding through his flailing paws like a fish. He felt the heavy presence of death advance.

One.

Fear. He gasped.

"Plea-"


	28. Smokepaw

**...and... Smokepaw! eh... so, the part where Smokepaw dies is about three paragraphs long, and the part leading up to that is only a page. So here is my attempt to turn one page into a whole chapter. It's not the best, but hopefully its not horrible. And please review and vote!  
**

--

Smokepaw shivered, his gray fur fluffed against the cold as he stared up the slope to the thin trail that wound into the mountains. Dead trees and boulders lined the path, ghosts warning them to stay back. How long had they been traveling – two days? More? Already he had lost count.

Clan cats swarmed around him – he didn't know from which Clan - their eyes bleary but determined. Smokepaw wished he felt the same way. His paws were aching, and his stomach complained regularly. There was almost no prey, not enough to feed a single Clan, let alone _four_. The prey all went to those who really needed it, and who needed to feed a lowly apprentice?

The tom dug his claws into the hard earth angrily. Inside, though, he knew that the anger was merely there to cover up the endless ennui of the journey. The anger was there so he could actually _feel_ something besides the biting cold, the hunger, the aching of his paws. The mountains had numbed him, and he wanted to know something besides pain and weariness.

The small brown tom next to him looked just as tired, his earth-colored fur matted and unwashed. Smokepaw looked at his mentor sadly. "Oakfur, how much longer will it be?" he murmured, although he knew the answer.

"_StarClan_ knows," Oakfur growled. Then he paused, and closed his eyes. "Actually, probably not even them." He sounded tired, desperate. Smokepaw flinched.

"How do we know those cats are leading us to the right place?" the young tom meowed, unable to stop the words before they left his mouth. "That one – Brambleclaw – he's from ThunderClan! And Stormfur is half-Clan! How can we trust them?"

A voice from behind reached his ears, and Smokepaw turned to see his mother Nightwing padding a tail-length after him. "Because we have to," she meowed, her voice faint and tired. "It's the only way to survive."

The apprentice looked down at his paws sheepishly, and memories of the dead and dying cats they had to leave behind filled his head. He quivered as he recalled the crushing feeling of having the ShadowClan camp destroyed before his eyes, as the Twolegs burrowed deep into the territory with their horrible monsters, digging out the roots of the forest. The reality of his mother's statement struck a chord inside of him, one he did not like.

"Why did they do it?" he blurted, feeling his fur prickled. Oakfur and Nightwing exchanged a glance; he had no doubt they knew what he was talking about, and they didn't like it either. How could _any_ cat like it?

"Some things just… happen," Oakfur mewed quietly. "Whether we want them to or not."

Smokepaw gritted his teeth. "That's not fair." He knew he was whining now, but he didn't care. "Can't StarClan do _anything_? Don't they care we're being driven out of our _home_?"

His mentor flicked a tail over the tom's mouth. His weary eyes glittered suddenly with apprehension. "StarClan doesn't control the world."

The apprentice opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out. He looked down at his paws and the dull path that slowly passed by as they trudged forward. How could StarClan _not_ control the world? They were the heart of the forest, right? They were the ancient ancestors, weren't they?

But the world was big.

The apprentice finally knew that now, after days of travel. He would never before have imagined that the gray smudge he had seen on the horizon was really this mountain range. He would never have guessed that there was a 'sun-drown-place', as the cats had called it. Could StarClan really have no power over what happened?

Smokepaw's eyes narrowed to half-mast, slits of anxiety. He felt betrayed.

"I know it's hard for you," Nightwing whispered, brushing his flank. "But imagine what the leaders and medicine cats feel. They have looked to StarClan their whole lives, and now they must face this journey without them."

_I don't want your pity._ The apprentice bristled and sped up his pace. He raised his head defiantly to stare over the bleak landscape. A crooked tree loomed at the edge of the path, mocking him with its twisted stance, its branches curling over the rough trail. Oakfur's voice echoed inside of the tom's head.

_StarClan doesn't control everything. StarClan doesn't control everything._

Smokepaw shook his head angrily, as though flicking away a tick. The rush of rebelliousness he had felt was gone, and replacing it was only a deep, throbbing, numbing sensation. _I want StarClan to be responsible,_ he realized. _I… I want someone to blame._

Dull pain ached his heart, and he fell back to rejoin his mentor and mother. They said nothing, merely continuing on the never-ending journey in silence.

The first sign that something had changed was the murmuring that rippled among the cats, nervous and tense. Smokepaw looked up, finally taking his eyes off of the monotonous brown-gray of the path. Beside him Oakfur hissed, his brown fur bristling.

Ahead of the scattered Clans was a gorge that bordered the mountain's edge, rising straight up and down on either side. For a moment Smokepaw thought there was no trail, but as a few cats cautiously picked their way forward the apprentice saw that there was a thin path along the cliff. Wind whistled from the chasm, and a blast of it reached Smokepaw and yanked at his fur uncomfortably.

"Want to cross that?" Oakfur growled. "I don't. It doesn't look safe."

Smokepaw didn't reply, his tail lashing. Ahead of him Cedarheart had reached the ledge and crept onto it. The ShadowClan tom turned to Oakfur with a grimace. "No other way," he meowed, and followed the cats in front of him.

Oakfur hissed and padded ahead of Smokepaw to follow his Clanmate. Smokepaw stared after them, fur prickling. He didn't like the way the wind roared along the path, as though trying to suck him down into the seemingly bottomless gorge. He dug his claws into the rocky earth and growled.

"Hey, don't just stand there, keep moving!" some RiverClan cat yelled from behind him – or maybe it was WindClan or ThunderClan, Smokepaw couldn't tell the difference anymore. The gray apprentice glared at the group of cats still behind him and took a tentative step onto the ledge.

All good. He put more weight onto his front paws and started padding, following Oakfur. Behind him he scented Nightwing creep forward, and he turned his head she blinked at him comfortingly. He relaxed as he heard his mother's reassuring voice. "Just keep on walking, it will be fine." The she-cat brushed his tail with her muzzle.

From somewhere up ahead Blackstar yowled. "Carry the kits!" Of course. Kits would probably run off the edge or do something mousebrained like that. Smokepaw looked around, but saw no kits near him. _Just as well,_ he thought.

Nearly all the Clans had made it onto the ledge now, and the cats in the front of the line had disappeared from Smokepaw's view, curving along the mountainside on the trail. The tom pricked his tail, wondering what was on the other side of the path. He started to creep sideways, but Nightwing stopped him.

"Don't look," she murmured. "It will make it worse." Her eyes hardened.

The apprentice flattened his ears nervously, and padded forward. He looked at the small rocks under his paws, and at the huge cliff looming over him. He tried to keep his eyes on the path, but the terrifying temptation of looking over the edge was too strong. He stretched his head to the side and stared over before Nightwing could push him back.

All that was there was a sickening drop into nothingness. A blast of wind howled up and tore at his pelt, trying to convince him to let it blow him off the path. Smokepaw stumbled, feeling dizzy, and scrambled back. A few pebbles skittered off the edge and fell, disappearing into the shadows that filled the abyss. He never heard them hit bottom.

"StarClan help me," he gasped, staggering away from the lip of the chasm. The apprentice pressed against the cold mountainside, feeling the hard stone strong under his quivering body, solid and real, not the vast emptiness of the chasm. Nightwing padded up to him, her black fur fluffed up. "I told you," the queen meowed, but her voice was sympathetic, not criticizing.

Smokepaw shivered, saying nothing. His blurry eyes were half closed as he let his mother walk in front of him. He would have liked to pad next to her, but the ledge was too thin for more than one cat to go at a time, so he contented himself with staying a mouse-length behind her. If they were back in the forest, Smokepaw would never have allowed himself to act like such a kit, marching along with his mother. But he was desperate.

_I'm not looking over again._ Smokepaw curled his tail as another gust of wind threatened to tug him away. The chill sank deep into his bones, and he shivered again. _Could StarClan be in such a horrible place as this?_ He didn't like it. "I want to go home," he carped.

Nightwing looked at him with infinite sadness swirling in her eyes. "We _are_ going home."

Wherever that was.

Smokepaw had the abrupt urge to hurt something, to dig his claws into flesh and cause some cat as much pain as he felt. They would never go back to the forest. Twolegs had destroyed it. Their home was gone. Furious, he slammed his forepaw hard into the ground again and again, barely noticing as blood oozed from between his claws. Who was responsible for all this? He wanted to attack them.

Suddenly something seemed wrong. The wind had changed, a rock beneath his paws shifted. Smokepaw blinked dazedly, as though waking from a dream, and he stared down at the ledge. The ground seemed too fragile to support his weight, as though it had been thinned out by the dozens of cats padding over it. Behind him a cat yowled, and Nightwing darted along the edge as far as she could go, her tail bristling in fear.

"Run!"

Smokepaw scuttled forward as the ground beneath his paws seemed to waver. A few rocks slid from the cliff and plummeted into the gorge, taking a healthy chunk of the ledge with them. The young tom barely managed to avoid getting squashed by a stone the size of a pheasant.

Oakfur whirled around, his eyes wide. "Smokepaw, hold on!" He darted forward to grasp his apprentice by the scruff, but Nightwing was in the way as she stared at Smokepaw with horror in her gaze.

Her son looked down at the path, and in that moment it crumbled beneath his paws, leaving him nothing to stand on. Smokepaw yowled and tried to lunge toward the still-standing part of the trail, but suddenly there was nothing to leap from, nothing to give his feet purchase. The tom's claws scraped at the edge of the path; then he tumbled over, falling into the gorge with a terrified screech.

"Smokepaw!"

The caterwaul echoed in his ears painfully, ricocheting into the abyss. He turned in mid-air, feeling the rush of wind in his fur. Fear finally took its grip, and he screamed, and screamed again. "_Help_!"

There was no cat there to hear him.

The wind twisted him again, welcoming him into its realm, and Smokepaw caught sight of the rapidly disappearing ledge. A flicker of black leaned over the broken path, yowling. He imagined that he could hear the words. _Smokepaw!_

Then it was gone, exchanged with darkness.

"StarClan, help me!" the apprentice wailed. A deep horror approached him. What if there was no StarClan here? What would happen when he died?

He flipped over again, his streaming eyes taking in the nothingness of the void. He could see no bottom, no clear end. There was nothing but shadows. Not even sunlight dared to penetrate the depths of this place. A howl of wind tugged him down, like icy claws sinking into his fur.

Suddenly he saw a shape, dark and ominous, flickering against the canyon floor. Another glance in the dim light told him what he wanted to know – a rock.

_It can't go on forever, you know._

The jagged edges of the rock sat directly beneath where he was falling. Smokepaw felt almost glad, and it sickened him to be happy. At least it would be quick. He felt like a gray comet hurtling through the night sky, finally going to stop and rest.

_Please, StarClan, be waiting for me._

The fine beveled teeth of the ground waited to greet him.


	29. Ashfur

**Yes, I am still alive! -throws confetti- and once again I have taken a few months to update any of my stories! Instead of apologizing over and over like I normally do, I'm just going to say that I really am sorry, because I don't think you want to read a huge paragraph of me saying sorry-sorry-sorry a gazillion times. But there was something called school. And winter break is the nicest thing that could happen. ^^ So I actually get to update! I hope no one ran away from this story because of me not posting...**

**Anyway... **

**THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS MAJOR MAJOR SPOILERS FOR LONG SHADOWS! **

**I just finished it, and I actually really liked it. It was way better than they rest of the Po3, even though I was mad at the Hunters for being so unoriginal with the traitor part. So, for those who didn't know and don't want to know, don't read any farther. But it's not really that hard to figure out. Yes, it's kinda clear where I stand on the Ashfur debate, on the forum and in my profile... Personally, I don't think he should have been the traitor. But yeah. I'm not writing Warriors. **

**So, I get to write a chapter about his death, because I had a sudden inspiration for it, which has not happened for a long time, as you can see from my non-updating-ness. I was originally going to create a oneshot fic about it, but then I realized that I needed to upddate Last Chance, and where better place to put it? Of course, none of this is mentioned in Long Shadows, so everything I write here will probably be proven completely wrong when Sunrise comes out, like most my other chapters have. Hoorah! ^^**

**And on to the story...**

----

Pain again.

He was always amazed at how completely the pain could renew itself, gathering up of remaining shreds of his broken spirit and forging it into something new, a finely balanced weight that fell at a glance or word and brush of fur, reminding him of everything he had lost. It was as though his past had returned to haunt him, making a moment of everyday life become a fresh new reason for him to be torn apart. Even now, the setting sun shone golden in the sky, all too close to the ginger-gold of her pelt. The green forest was the green of eyes, watching him, staring through him and egging on the pure torture that filled his body.

The lake was cooling with the coming of night, and small waves lapped over his paws. Long shadows were thrown across the pebbled shore, drenching his huddled gray form in darkness. Sharp stones cut into his pads, but he did nothing to stop them from digging in deeper. As the water rushed up, then washed back, thin trickles of scarlet ran with it, a tribute of blood to his pain. The wounds were nothing - mere scratches. Not even the most lethal of battle wounds could come close to being compared to the agony inside. His entire being was cut open, sliced thinner with every breath. Every time he spoke to her, or her father, or her kits, he felt himself growing weaker inside. Ripped up, that's what he was. No physical pain would ever feel this horrible. So he let his blood spill. There was no point in keeping it.

Oh, he had been good at hiding. He wore a continuous mask of nonchalance, pretending that life was normal. His façade had become a natural thing, and for a few moons, it seemed as though, just maybe, he would be able to forget about his pain and move on with life. Then she had had kits, and the old wounds were reopened, though they had never really healed. His heart was bleeding more than he had thought possible. It became necessary then, for him to have complete control over his emotions, to never let any cat see how tortured he was until he had caused just as much pain as he felt. It was only in the middle of the night that he let the disguise drop, and he snuck out of camp up the grassy cliff trail that was hidden behind the brambles to return to this spot, and feel the rocks slash open his paws. He would never bother to lick the blood from his fur, yet no cat ever noticed it, even when he was right beside them in the warriors' den, with matted paws that were a sickly brown instead of gray. So unobservant, they were. Even when he had lost himself and tried to kill Lionblaze that time during battle training, no cat thought twice about his ferocity. They just figured that he was over the pain, and that he was trying extra hard to make his apprentice into a great warrior.

What _had_ Firestar been thinking, giving Lionblaze to him? Not just _her_ kit, but the one that looked most like her. All golden and ginger fur, a flame colored pelt. Like Firestar. Great StarClan, was every single cat meant to remind him of his misery? The leader, the deputy, the medicine cat. Even his own apprentice. All of them mocking him.

An icy wind whistled through the trees, cutting into his wet pelt and returning a spark of life into his glazed eyes. Slowly, he wrenched his gaze away from some unseen spot in the distance. Involuntarily he shuddered at the cold, then cursed himself for shying away when the cold was irrelevant. Scorching or freezing, comfortable or uneasy, it wouldn't matter when it came down to what mattered. And what mattered was that he was in far deeper pain then claws could cut.

He had given his entire being to her, and she had laughed in his face and torn him to shreds.

He stared into the water, which was stained red and orange with the dying sun. Slight ripples of wind and fish flittered across the glassy surface, splashing gently onto land. It seemed almost peaceful, a serenity which he could not understand. How could the world be so uncaring, so unfeeling? Even his own reflection was calm, a shimmering picture of a gray cat, gazing back from the shallow lakeshore. Only his eyes, as frigid as the wind, brimming with barely restrained agony, showed who he truly was. The rest of him was shrouded within his masquerade.

For the briefest heartbeat, he saw the cat he might have been if he had not been destroyed – happy, naïve, carefree, a loyal ThunderClan warrior. Never meaning anything. Never standing out. Just another miniscule part in the massive scheme of life. Then _she_ had come, and he had changed, wanted to please her, to show that fox-hearted Brambleclaw for the idiot that he was. And, for a while, she had accepted him. But Brambleclaw decided to love her too, and he was the powerful one who was spoken to by StarClan and was the Clan deputy, and then who cared about the unimpressive, average gray-furred warrior who had nothing to show for himself except loyalty for his Clan and for the she-cat he loved?

That showed what loving someone got you.

It seemed unfeasible that she had never noticed how much pain she caused him. Therefore, she did it on purpose, to rub it in his face and show him how weak his was. She even spoke to him, like she would any cat, pretending that all the damage was gone, and all was well between them. But he knew it was not.

A flicker of memory rose within him like flame, a time many moons before. Before the pain had become something he lived and ate and breathed. When it was fresh and new, and twisted him without snapping him in two, wrenching him around to do whatever it took to make her notice him. It had only just started to consume him, but that day had made him realize that he needed to do whatever it took to cause her pain.

_He was walking through the forest, blue eyes filled with hopelessness as he remembered what she had said to him. "I'm sorry. Can't we just be friends?" Didn't she understand that that wasn't enough? He had offered her _everything_, he had exposed his heart for the first time, and he had been scorned. 'Just friends' couldn't come close to what he felt for her, but she didn't realize it. She thought that he wasn't serious, that he would get over it and find another cat. Why couldn't she just love him back?_

_Tall grass brushed against him as he padded through the undergrowth, towards ShadowClan territory. The rank scent of those dark warriors was the only thing that made him angry enough to dull the ache in his spirit. Had they been crossing the border again? If they did, he'd rip their pelts off. He unsheathed his claws and sank them into the earth, telling himself that the fury was only fury at the enemy Clan, not _her.

"_Angry?"_

_The meow was calm, confident, and unfamiliar. The gray tom spun around, fur bristling,and for a moment he bared his teeth in rage. "Brambleclaw!" He was about to spring at the tom, when he smelled the fishy, musky odor of RiverClan. _

"_Brambleclaw?" The intruder smiled. "I suppose we do look alike." It was an understatement – both were dark brown tabbies, heavyset and well-muscled, with a silent strength. The only difference were the eyes; Brambleclaw's were a rich amber, while this tom's were ice blue. Just like his. "Well," the intruder meowed after a moment. "We do share a father." Not seeing any recognition, the tom continued. "I'm Hawkfrost."_

"_Tigerstar's-" He cut himself off hastily, but the RiverClan warrior only looked amused ._

"_Yes, that's right. Tigerstar, who washed the forest in blood." A sarcastic smirked crossed the tabby's face. "You know, not all accusations are necessarily true." He studied a claw casually. "And you are…?" _

"_Get off ThunderClan territory!" the gray warrior growled. "Don't tell me stories about Tigerstar! He killed my mother, and don't you dare try to tell me that was all false!"_

_Unconcerned, Hawkfrost glanced up. "Oh, you're Ashfur, aren't you? I remember you from the old forest." Sighing, he flicked his tail. "Tigerstar did some things that are… regrettable. But that does not change the fact that he is the most powerful warrior who has ever existed." Before Ashfur could protest again, he added, "And he knows things. Like right now, he has told me why you are so angry. It really is a shame, isn't it? Brambleclaw just doesn't understand things such as power. I really don't know how Squirrelflight fell for him."_

_Ashfur winced at the mention of her name, shock spreading through his mind. "H-how did you…?"_

_Hawkfrost purred. "Oh yes, I know about the pain she's caused you. And you try so hard to make her see you. But it's not working, is it?" His blue eyes glittered with knowledge and ambition as he leaned forward excitedly. "Want to know something, Ashfur? It will _never_ work."_

_The gray tom stared back, fear and pain washing over him. "What do you mean?"_

"_She will never love you back."_

_Ashfur wailed, his claws digging ruts into the dirt. "She will! I'll make her! I'll show her what a pile of mouse-dung that Brambleclaw is! I'll-"_

"_It won't matter." Hawkfrost straightened up with a leer, then his expression morphed into one of sympathy. "She means so much to you, doesn't she? But she hates you. Why else would she leave you, after you have cared for her and shown her how you felt? She hurts you _on purpose._"_

_The ThunderClan warrior felt tears begin to well up in his eyes. "But…"_

"_You have to hurt her back, show her just how much pain she's created. Cause her just as much agony as you have ever felt." Hawkfrost's voice was persuasive, and Ashfur felt the first crack in his soul that would eventually lead to the pain and grief which would shatter him. _

"_W-what… can I do?"_

_Another smile. "Actually, I already have a plan…"_

"Ashfur?"

He jerked up, his eyes snapping open at the voice which was not in his memory, but instead a few tail lengths away. His paws trembled in the water as he saw her, standing there, her ginger fur truly appearing on fire in the glow of the setting sun. Her green eyes surveyed him cautiously, but he saw only concern, not hate or anger, within her gaze. The gray warrior's heart twisted, and he stood up slowly, feeling his paws grind against the pebbles, painfully, but not painful enough.

"Go away." He barely choked the words out. He loved her, and now he hated the fact that he loved her. "Nothing you can say will stop me."

"Ashfur…" She sounded so sad. But he knew it was all a ploy to keep him from revealing her terrible secret. She was so selfish, only doing this to help herself. "Think, Ashfur. What will happen to the Clan if you tell everyone? It will just separate every cat more. That pain, it won't hurt me, it will hurt every living being around the lake."

"So?" Ashfur spat, unsheathing his claws. "As long as you're hurt, the rest of the Clans can go to the Dark Forest. I want you to know just what I feel – what I felt from the day you rejected me and broke me apart." Gathering his pain into anger, power that moved through his limbs, he put a paw forward, not noticing as the raw pads began staining the shore scarlet. "You know _nothing_ of pain, Squirrelflight. It's time you did."

"I didn't mean to hurt you," the she-cat murmured. "I promise, I didn't. But I can't love you, Ashfur. I love Brambleclaw. I'm sorry that you are so hurt, but you have to understand."

"_Understand?"_ the tom yowled, icy eyes sparkling with rage. "How am _I_ the one who doesn't understand? You know _nothing_ about what I've been through! You cut me open every single day! Do you know what it's like to see you with that fool Brambleclaw every moment, when _I_ was the one who helped you and was a friend to you? Do you know what I've done, because of you?" He took another step, and with furious satisfaction he saw Squirrelflight edge back. "Look!" He held up a forepaw, dripping with blood and water. "I'm bleeding, Squirrelflight. And I don't feel it, I can't feel the pain. It's not enough, it's never enough, because there's always something worse inside. It burns me, and _you're_ the reason." The warrior stalked forward, and for the first time he saw fear in the ginger she-cat's eyes. "You need to know what it's like, you need to know what you've done to me."

"Y-you're not well, Ashfur," Squirrelflight stammered, taking a step back. "I think – I have to go. I-" She tried to move away, but stumbled over a tree root and fell. Mud from the still-wet earth splattered her fiery pelt as she struggled to rise.

Teeth bared, Ashfur loomed over her, his eyes glowing bright blue. "You need to feel _pain_," he hissed. "When the sun is gone, ThunderClan leaves for the Gathering, and I go with them. You will finally understand what I have been through. There's _nothing_ you can say that will stop me telling every single cat what you have done."

Suddenly the fear in Squirrelflight's gaze vanished, and Ashfur narrowed his eyes in confusion. Defiance washed across the she-cat's face, and she "Maybe not anything I can say, but something I can _do_!" she snarled. Before Ashfur could react, she coiled back and leaped, paws outstretched for his muzzle.

Ashfur reeled away in shock as claws grazed his face, and in an instant he was tumbling across the shore in a knot of ginger and gray fur. He felt paws grasp his flank, and, furious, he sank his teeth into Squirrelflight's ear, biting down with all the force he could muster. Dampness sank into his fur as they splashed into the darkening water, screeching. All the anger, all the pain he had felt over the moons since the she-cat had rejected him had built up, lending strength to his stone-battered body. He felt as though he had more power than StarClan. With a caterwaul of triumph, he pinned Squirrelflight down onto the sandy shallows of the lake, trying to keeping her writhing form underneath the surface of the water.

_i feel so much pain you dont understand you need to understand i have to do it_

Ashfur stared down at her, his sides heaving as he panted for breath. "You have to feel…" he growled, eyes wild. "You have to…"

The she-cat thrashed in his grip, and a wave broke over her muzzle. She gasped for air, struggling to get out of the cold clutch of the lake. She was sucked back underwater, her ginger fur turned dark brown from the wetness. Bubbles emerged from her mouth as she tried to speak.

The gray tom lashed his tail, feeling Squirrelflight's struggles begin to slow. Her face was distorted by the muddied water, but Ashfur could see her eyes flutter weakly. Victorious, he lifted his head, daring to meet her gaze one final time.

_i win i_ _win you will understand what you did to me i will make you feel pain_

Green.

Blue.

She looked up so calmly, as though death meant nothing to her. As though she felt no pain. Ashfur's eyes widened; this was not what was supposed to happen. Confused, he loosened his grasp, and felt the she-cat pulled away by the waves. She blinked, and moved. Then, suddenly, she was above water, and charging towards him furiously. Ashfur stumbled back, not understanding what had just happened. "Squir-?"

"Traitor!" the ginger warrior yowled, her eyes blazing with fury – all the fury that had just ebbed from Ashfur. The tom was bowled over as she slammed into him, her claws ripping into his pelt. "Black-hearted pile of fox dung!"

He could feel blood welling up in his fur, washed instantly away by the water. Ashfur gasped. "It hurts, it hurts…" He could feel each slash, edged in fire. His pads stung, no longer dulled by the pain inside of him. For the first time in moons, he was not drowned in agony_._

Squirrelflight was above him now, pushing him down, her claws searching for a hold on his throat. Ashfur felt the cold sharpness press against his neck and he jolted, finally realizing what was happening. "Squirrelflight, don't-" His protest was cut off as skin broke, and his words became a scream.

Red, everywhere. Blocking even the water that was threatening to flood his mouth and nose. The tom writhed as it began to flow in a steady tide, his blue eyes widening in fear. "It hu-"

A ginger shape was standing over him, both regret and relief in the emerald gaze. Ashfur choked, his breath coming out as a thin gurgle as blood bubbled from the rip in his throat.

_You cant where am i whats happening...?_

Even his thoughts were blurry now. The pain in his expression started to clear, and his vision was already dulling, becoming darker. The lake tugged him out, and he hung, motionless, in its clasp. Its frigid paws gripped his body.

A pair of green eyes, watching.

"Squirrelflight… it hurts…"


	30. Gorsepaw

**Yes, I am alive. That's about all I can say, since I haven't been posting AT ALL. -_-' I'm not exactly sure what else to say without sounding really trite and pointless, but I am so, so sorry that I've been inactive on Fanfiction for what is almost a year now. Since it's summer, I can't really use the excuse that school was hectic, just that I was writing down my own ideas instead of other author's ones. I kept trying to type Sootfur's death and it just wasn't working at all, so I took a break and then decided to write for Gorsepaw, since lots of people wanted to read his death. I hope this is satisfactory, for now. **

**And I would like to state that I still haven't read the last Warriors book, and besides, I didn't know who killed Ashfur when I wrote his death. So to all those people who reviewed saying that Holly actually killed Ash, I'm sorry, I'm not going to change it. :D**

**And there are 296 reviews! Whoever gets the 300th review gets... something! Probably they get to choose a chapter (but please not Sootfur).**

**Happy reading.**

**--- **

Dawn broke too brightly over the moorland, a painfully searing sheen of golden light that crept – or, more accurately, Gorsepaw thought, erupted – across the hills, among the gorse, through WindClan camp, and between the fronds of heather to hit him directly in the eyes. It was amazing how no matter which direction he faced as he slept, the sun would always find a way through the tangle of grass and bush that bordered the apprentices' den for what seemed to be the sole purpose of jolting him awake before everyone else. Grumbling, the tom twisted around in his nest, raising one paw to shield his face from the brightness. Still no good, and there was no way that he'd be able to get back to sleep now, even though he didn't have training until halfway to sun-high. Sighing, he sat up, blinked wearily, and gave his ginger-and-white fur a quick lick before stepping over the other apprentices, who still mumbled peacefully through dreams. None of them were on dawn patrol – neither was he, although that didn't stop the sun from waking him up – so no other cat was awake to share in his fatigue. Grumbling to himself, he reached the edge of the den and pushed his way through the grassy stems to the center of camp.

Some cat had already been hunting; a fresh rabbit and a mouse replaced the now-stale fresh-kill from the previous day. The warm scent of prey made Gorsepaw's stomach growl. Maybe it would be a good idea to join dawn patrol, even though he wasn't assigned to it. At least then he would get a chance to eat, since patrolling cats didn't have to bring back their catch for the Clan. Well, he was awake, and had nothing to do until it was time to train with Onewhisker. Reminded of the reason why he was up at this StarClan-forsaken hour, Gorsepaw raised his head to glared at the sun. It barely crested the gorse-covered ridge surrounding the camp, filling the sky with a misty golden light. Beautiful, perhaps, but still… that didn't mean it had to wake him up.

"Feeling angry, are we?"

An amused voice broke the silent of dawn, startling Gorsepaw. His tail bristled as he spun around, embarrassed that he had been caught scowling at the air and that he hadn't heard the other cat walk up. "Oh, hi, Tornear," he meowed, recognizing the tabby warrior who now stood in front of him. "I just woke up early." He glanced back at the sun. "I'm not really angry. I mean, it happens to me all the time."

Tornear nodded sympathetically. "Too bright for you? Well, the early cat catches the mouse, eh?"

Gorsepaw shrugged noncommittally. Tornear was a morning cat; he _liked_ waking up before everyone else, and usually was the first in the entire Clan to fall asleep. He was probably the one who had brought back the fresh prey, mostly likely having gotten up before dawn. Gorsepaw, on the other hand, would much rather sleep than rise at the same time (or StarClan forbid, _before_) the sun, and he had no problem with staying up until moon-high or later. Tornear and Gorsepaw were, quite simply, completely different cats when it came to sleep rhythms, which meant that the apprentice couldn't really expect Tornear to understand his annoyance at waking at dawn. "So," he meowed after a moment. "Are you taking Webfoot's place as camp guard?"

The tabby tom shook his head. "No, Mudclaw's going to do that in a minute." He looked towards the warriors' den, and added, "Once he wakes up." Judging by his irritated expression, Mudclaw wasn't going to be asleep much longer. Feeling a grim satisfaction that he wouldn't be the only one awake against his will, Gorsepaw flicked his tail as Tornear continued. "I'm on dawn patrol. We don't have any apprentices on it today, and you don't have training until later, so since you're already awake – if you don't mind –"

"Sure," Gorsepaw interrupted. "I was actually just going to ask Onewhisker if I could join the patrol."

"Great." Tornear nodded towards the warriors' den. "D'you think you could also wake up Mudclaw? Webfoot's probably wondering where he is."

"Um… okay, but I'd prefer to keep all my fur."

The warrior laughed. "Mudclaw won't bite – too hard." Seeing Gorsepaw's expression he added, "I know he's really harsh on the apprentices, but I promise he won't actually hurt you. He just likes to growl and act tough."

Gorsepaw wasn't too sure about that, but he couldn't exactly refuse, especially since he needed to see Onewhisker anyway. Come to think of it, his mentor probably wouldn't be overjoyed to be woken up either, but at least he'd be glad that Gorsepaw was being useful around camp. Mudclaw, on the other hand… trying not to show his apprehension, the young tom padded towards the warriors' den, a shelter made of interwoven gorse and heather at the edge of the WindClan camp. He wasn't even sure whether he was allowed, as an apprentice, into the warriors' den, although Tornear had essentially given him permission. Part of him wondered whether the stories the apprentices told were true, and the warriors (predominantly Mudclaw) kept the skulls of their defeated enemies by their nests – one could never be sure. Unfortunately, he was disappointed by the sight that greeted him as he stuck his head into the den. There were no skulls, or bones, or even anything that was remotely frightening, if you didn't count Mudclaw as frightening. Just beds of moss and heather. Scattered warriors lay sleeping, the only sound a soft release of breath, like a breeze through reeds. Gorsepaw, not sure whether to be disappointed, glanced around and instantly spotted Onewhisker's brown pelt.

The warrior was, of course, at the farthest possible point away from Gorsepaw, on the other side of the den. Cautiously, as though a single misplaced pawstep would kill him, the apprentice picked his way forward. It felt like a maze of fur, and he breathed a sigh of relief when he finally reached Onewhisker's side.

"Uh… Onewhisker?" Unsure what to do, Gorsepaw prodded his mentor's flank with a paw. "Onewhisker?"

Luckily, the warrior opened one weary eye. "Gorsepaw?" He opened the other eye, and raised his head.

"Can I go on the dawn patrol?" Gorsepaw whispered, checking if any other cats woke at his voice. "I'll be back before our training, and Tornear says that there are no other apprentices going."

"It's dawn already?" Onewhisker let out a yawn. "Of course you can go." A hint of unease entered his usually calm meow as he. "I think we need all the patrols we can get. No cat feels safe with ShadowClan and RiverClan allied."

"Okay, thanks," Gorsepaw answered, pushing away the dread that stirred in his mind. _How could the Clans merge? _It made no sense to him. Didn't they have any idea of the warrior code…? His ears buzzing with unspoken doubts, he turned away from Onewhisker, who had already gone back to sleep.

The sight of Mudclaw immediately shoved away Gorsepaw's thoughts, however, and he approached the warrior with growing agitation. It wasn't _exactly_ that Mudclaw was mean; he was just… overwhelming. As a gruff, powerful warrior, Mudclaw scared the apprentices, Gorsepaw included. The apprentice hovered by the mottled brown tom's nest, watching the rise and fall the dark pelt with nervous eyes. _How am I going to…_

"Well? Are you just going to stand there?"

Gorsepaw let out a squeak as Mudclaw turned to face him, his eyes unreadable slits in the half-light of the warriors' den. The young tom's mind went blank, and after a painful moment he managed to stammer, "T-tornear told me to tell you that you need to, um, take Webfoot's place as the, uh, camp guard." Tearing his gaze away from Mudclaw's, he raced out of the den much faster than he entered. _Mousebrain, mousebrain,_ he berated himself as he burst back into the golden-gray light of dawn. _Why are you so stupid? He's not going to _kill_ you._

The apprentice skidded to a halt outside the den, fur burning with humiliation. Tornear was waiting for him at the camp entrance, which was a break in the gorse barrier at the ridge around camp. The rest of the patrol had already gathered: Deadfoot, the deputy, and Runningbrook, a pale gray she-cat. Tornear had apparently already told them that Gorsepaw was joining the patrol, since the two other cats both nodded to him and stood up.

Gorsepaw inhaled the morning air, scented with heather and dew. The tantalizing odor of rabbit drifted from the direction of Highstones, which was only a smear of gray against the purple-green of the moor. Soft, misty clouds hung low over the territory, lending the hills a silver touch to compliment the golden sun. Gorsepaw stared out over the grassy expanse, his bristling ginger-and-white fur finally settling back into place. Maybe, he thought, morning wasn't _all_ bad.

"Come on," Deadfoot meowed, and Gorsepaw realized that the rest of the patrol had already started down the hill. Suddenly energetic, he bounded down to them, his eyes wide with excitement.

Runningbrook gave him a strange look. "Why are you so happy today?" she asked, half-amused.

"It's just… nice out," Gorsepaw meowed. He looked at her proudly. "We're gonna have the strongest, securest border in the entire history of the Clans!"

The she-cat gave a _mrrow_ of laughter. "With _you_ guarding it? StarClan help us all!"

The patrol went on towards the ShadowClan border, lighthearted and joking. Gorsepaw couldn't help but feel good as they padded over the hills. His embarrassment and anxiety had melted away in the sun; ironically, the same sun which had woken him up. It was only as they spotted ShadowClan territory that tension began to creep once again into the young tom's mind.

He had never liked ShadowClan's section of the forest – it was too swampy and muddy, with solemn trees that looked as though they wanted to eat you. No WindClan cat cared much for trees, but at least the ones in ThunderClan were lush, with plenty of leaves. ShadowClan trees were prickly, and left little needles everywhere that an innocent cat could step on. They didn't even lose their spines in the winter, when every cat knew was the time that trees slept and relinquished all greenery. And sure, WindClan had swamps too – patches of mire, especially along the river that marked the border with RiverClan, but they were easy to see, with useful herbs and sometimes even prey. The swamps in ShadowClan were masked, seemingly innocuous spaces that would give way and swallow any cat who ventured near. Gorsepaw gulped. He had never _actually_ seen ShadowClan land beyond the border, or course, but he had heard stories of kits who wandered from their mothers and were never heard from again, eaten by the earth. _Just tales to keep kits from getting into mischief_, he told himself, but he wasn't completely convinced. _No wonder ShadowClan are so cruel, if they have to live in such a place._

He was so busy thinking that he almost crashed into Tornear, who had abruptly stopped at the edge of the border and was facing into the wind with a dark expression. The warrior tasted the air, and Deadfoot meowed softly. "What is it?"

"Their scent… it's both RiverClan and ShadowClan." Tornear frowned. "Are there RiverClan cats _in their camp right now_?"

A chill ran down Gorsepaw's spine. Ever since the Gathering, Tigerstar had been trying to force the Clans to merge; he had already convinced Leopardstar. Gorsepaw wasn't sure whether or not it was a good idea – after all, there were many recent hardships, especially with Twolegs becoming more active, but an abolition of the Clans was completely insane. And if cats were staying in another Clan's territory… He sank his claws into the ground and stared into ShadowClan territory, which was too shadowy to see more than a few fox-lengths into. He opened his mouth to speak. "What-"

"Wait," Runningbrook hissed, and Gorsepaw turned to see that her eyes wide with fear. Her meow dropped to a barely audible whisper. "_Over. There._"

She was staring at a stretch of hills covered with heavy gorse, so entangled with the branches that it was probably dark even in the brightening sunlight. There seemed to be nothing there of any consequence, except a blackbird which reminded Gorsepaw of the emptiness in his stomach. He was about to ask Runningbrook what she was talking about when a sudden movement, unlike any prey Gorsepaw had ever seen, shook the gorse. A dark shape seem to detach itself from the trees within ShadowClan and force its way through the undergrowth, behaving very much like a cat who was not used to WindClan territory.

"Deadfoot…" the apprentice whispered. "Is that-"

"_Run!_"

The words were barely out of the deputy's mouth when the ShadowClan forest seemed to explode into life. Cats burst from the darkness, no longer trying to conceal themselves now that they had been spotted by the patrol. The warriors who had been creeping through the gorse gave up their plan of camouflage and burst out to join their Clanmates. They streaked across the moor like a deathly cold wind, paralyzing Gorsepaw with terror.

"Run, you mousebrain! Run!" It was Runningbrook's voice that got his paws working again, and Gorsepaw staggered away from the tide of cats. The she-cat shoved him ahead of her, her pale gray fur bristling in fright. "Warn the rest of the Clan!" She looked back at the ShadowClan – and, Gorsepaw saw with a pang of horror, RiverClan – warriors, who had split into two groups. Most were heading in the direction of the WindClan camp, but five had veered off to intercept the patrol. "Run, you won't stand a chance-"

She was cut off as a shrieking tortoiseshell leaped towards her, eyes blazing. The she-cat yowled a reply and turned to face the intruder, claws unsheathed. Tornear and Deadfoot were fighting as well; despite his twisted paw, the deputy was able to hold his own. But there were still two other enemy cats, and as one of them turned his glare onto Gorsepaw, the apprentice realized that Runningbrook was right. If he were to battle these massive warriors, he wouldn't have even a glimmer of hope of surviving.

Against all odds, he remembered how to run. Paws nearly slipping on the dew-coated grass, he bolted away from the battle, away from the blood and whirling teeth. How could he get to camp in time? The group of invaders he had seen before were probably already well ahead of him; they were trained, and had stamina, energy. What was he? A mere apprentice who wasn't even close to being a warrior. _Run, run, run._ The beat pounded in his head to the rhythm of his heart, which felt as though it would burst. Each gasped breath sent pain coursing along his body, but he knew that he couldn't stop. It would mean death, although he couldn't even believe that his desperate flight would save any cat. _Run, run, run!_ He almost stumbled into a rabbit warren, and his paw twisted painfully as he struggled to avoid it. The only advantage he had was that he knew the territory, knew the fastest way back to camp. If he could even recall it in his frenzy, in the searing agony and insane fear. _RUN! RUN! RUN-_

"_Mraaaakk!_" An ear-splitting scream nearly deafened him as something careened into his flank. Gorsepaw fell, screeching, as the scent of ShadowClan engulfed him, and he caught a glimpse of dark fur and furious eyes. Claws gripped his pelt, grasping, preventing him from running, halting his frantic mission to warn his Clanmates. They tumbled in a knot of fangs and fur back down the slope of the hill Gorsepaw had just crested. Something warm spattered into his eyes: blood, from which cat he did not know. He only flailed wildly, frantically trying to pull away, to run-

There was a sharp _crack_, sounding like the Thunderpath's roar but really only as loud as a twig breaking. The grip on him loosened, a furry body suddenly went limp. Gorsepaw writhed away from the cat, eyes glazed with fear as he scrambled back. The warrior's head hung at an unnatural angle, and he saw with complete and utter horror that the other cat's neck had snapped in the rabbit hole which had almost claimed his own paw just minutes before. _Oh, StarClan-_

There was no time. The young tom staggered away from the dead cat, his foot now burning with pain. There was a gash on his forehead, and blood oozed mud-like down his muzzle, leaving a reddish trail in his ginger-and-white fur. He couldn't think, couldn't, about the corpse which lay behind him as he stumbled forward again, back up the hill and down the other side, leaving the heather scarlet in his wake. All he could do was continue on, and then, he almost thought, maybe ahead was the camp, just maybe, maybe it was there and this would be gone, the death and the blood-red dawn, and the ringing which sang a battle cry in his ears, and-

"Gorsepaw?" Mudclaw's voice broke through the haze, a wonderful, familiar voice, a voice that Gorsepaw could not understand how he had ever feared. "Gorsepaw? Gorsepaw!" The meow grew frightened. "Great StarClan, what happened to you?"

And then Gorsepaw was there, at the ridge above the camp, somehow, impossibly, there. "They're coming!" he gasped. "Oh, StarClan, they're coming!" There was no time to wonder how he had gotten there first. "ShadowClan! And River-"

A caterwaul, unearthly, sounded, and then Gorsepaw knew that the invaders were swarming up the hill towards the camp. "Mudclaw!" he yelled again. "They're coming! They're-" He broke off and struggled forward, down into the dip in the hill that was the WindClan camp. Confused faces were appearing from the numerous dens, faces he barely saw. "Tallstar!" the apprentice shrieked. "ShadowClan is here!" His words were muffled, distorted with panic; perhaps he sounded insane, but it didn't matter, as long as they knew.

He was aware of Mudclaw letting out a yowl, and cats streaming down into camp. A brown pelt raced forward to meet them – Onewhisker. He collided with a light gray she-cat, unnervingly similar to Runningbrook, and with that meeting, the battle began.

Gorsepaw stood, bewildered and suddenly exhausted, as fighting raged around him. _Runningbrook._ And Deadfoot, and Tornear. Where were they? Fighting a losing battle, as the rest of WindClan were? They were outnumbered five to three back at the border, and here, Gorsepaw saw with dismay, more, hopelessly more cats than were in WindClan were still pouring through the camp entrance. Where was Mudclaw? He could catch no sight of the mottled brown tom. Dead, like the warrior back at the foot of the hill, with a broken neck? _Don't think of-_

A cat lunged for him, and he barely had a chance to dodge at she hurtled by. It was the same tortoiseshell who had been fighting Runningbrook, eyes glimmering with the light of battle. _Then where is the patrol_? He cast his gaze around, but before he could distinguish any cat the tortoiseshell spun to face him again. Gorsepaw snarled and crouched, ready to leap, his claws scoring the dirt. There was no rabbit warren here to save him, and she was at least twice as old as he was, with the warrior training to prove it. Runningbrook's words echoed in his head. _You won't stand a chance!_

Suddenly, as if summoned by his thoughts, a pale gray figure appeared, bowling over the tortoiseshell with a screech of fury. The enemy cat yowled and scrambled away, disappearing into the fray. For a moment Gorsepaw didn't recognize Runningbrook; the fur on her shoulder was almost all torn away, and blood dripped sluggishly from painful-looking wounds. "Thanks," he choked.

She nodded tersely, eyes narrowed with the stinging of her shoulder. "No problem," the she-cat gasped. She looked moderately calm and determined, but Gorsepaw could smell the fear-scent emanating from her. She didn't think that the Clan could win this fight, any more than he did. "Gorsepaw, listen," Runningbrook hissed. "Mudclaw went to get ThunderClan, but I don't know if he'll make it in time."

ThunderClan – if they could survive until the other Clan came, they might have a chance. "Runni-" he began, but was cut off by a caterwaul from behind.

Two cats were leaping straight for him, only a heartbeat away. Gorsepaw recognized them in that split second from the Gathering, Russetfur and Blackclaw. Then they were on top of him, and claws ripped along his flank. As the apprentice writhed he saw Runningbrook rushing forward, but a huge, muscled tom stopped her, wrestling her to the ground and holding her down with one massive paw. Gorsepaw closed his eyes. _This is it. _

But they weren't trying to kill him, and with a jolt of fear he realized that he had been singled out. In fact, the fighting had all but stopped, and a hiss of terror rose from the dusty battlefield. In the one eye that had not been blinded by blood, Gorsepaw saw a silhouette on the ridge above the camp, the golden rays of dawn shooting out from behind it like flames. _Tigerstar_. Now he had even taken the sun.

In the utter silence, the tom padded down the slope to the place where Tallstar stood, panting, his fur torn and bloody. "Hello, Tallstar," the ShadowClan leader sneered. "Noble leader of WindClan." There was no mistaking the mockery in his meow, and many WindClan cats seemed to barely restrain themselves from lunging for the tabby with claws outstretched.

"Why are you here, Tigerstar?" Tallstar sounded sad and defeated, yet a hint of defiance tingled along his voice. "Why have you done this? What do you have to gain by attacking my Clan? WindClan have done _nothing_ to you."

"Haven't you?" Tigerstar mused. "You openly refused my kind offer. I was willing to give you partial leadership of a joint Clan that would be far more powerful than any of the Clans could be by themselves."

"And you thought you had to prove yourself by slaughtering my warriors," Tallstar growled softly. "You have made your point, Tigerstar. Now leave."

The ShadowClan leader looked amused. "Have I? It seems to me that you still refuse to agree to my proposition." Slowly, sickeningly, his gaze turned, and a twisting worm of horror worked its way through Gorsepaw's gut as the burning eyes met his. "I think you need some added… incentive."

"No!" Runningbrook screamed, thrashing under the tom's grip. She watched, terrified, as Tigerstar padded towards the apprentice.

"Jaggedtooth, silence her," Tigerstar snapped. The huge tom holding Runningbrook down shoved her muzzle into the ground and sank claws into the fur perilously near her eyes.

Gorsepaw's heart pounded even faster than it had during his desperate run to camp as the dark brown tabby halted in front of him. Russetfur and Blackclaw released their grip, but before Gorsepaw could move he was pinned down by Tigerstar's powerful paws. Instantly the ShadowClan and RiverClan cats surrounded them, preventing the WindClan warriors from reaching him. Gorsepaw gasped for air, staring at the tabby's dark eyes. How could this be happening? It had only been an hour since he woke, although it felt like moons, when he was a safe, carefree apprentice bothered by the sun in his eyes. Now that fierceness of the sun was glaring down at him from Tigerstar's eyes, but it was a diseased color – not the misty gold of dawn, but sickly amber.

"I'm going to kill him."

In a single sentence, his fate suddenly sealed.

Gorsepaw couldn't breathe, his eyes were glazed and wide. _No, StarClan, no. Please, StarClan._ He couldn't understand the words coming from Tigerstar's mouth, they made no sense, they couldn't-

"I'm going to kill your precious apprentice to show you what will happen if you continue to disobey me," Tigerstar meowed. He stared out over the sea of terrified WindClan cats, a smirk slowly spreading over his muzzle. It was so silent that a feather-drop could have been heard. Then a scream, distorted but recognizable, pierced the dawn.

"_Gorsepaw!_" It was Morningflower, his mother, and she was clawing frantically at the barricade of warriors, trying, trying to get through. "_You can't! You can't do this!"_ But no matter what she did, there was a wall of cats to turn her back, to prevent her from getting through. Morningflower was crying now, and screaming, as much at the other WindClan warriors as at Tigerstar. "_Why don't you help? Why are you just standing there?"_

Tigerstar watched her, amusement creeping across his face. And then he laughed, and laughed. Suddenly he stopped, and looked back down at Gorsepaw. "Because they know that they cannot win," he meowed solemnly.

Gorsepaw blinked up at him. The blood trickling through his fur seemed meaningless now, his blinded eye inconsequential. The only thing that mattered was this, the claws against his throat, the teeth hovering less than a tail length above him. He wondered if ThunderClan were coming. They had to be. But they were too far away to help.

_I don't want to die._

He was only an apprentice, for StarClan's sake. Never a warrior, never complete. Did they have warrior ceremonies in StarClan? Or was he doomed to be an apprentice forever? It seemed crazy, a question only one who was insane could think of. But it was the only thing he could think of, the only thing to distract him from Tigerstar, from Morningflower's wailing, from the hopelessness that every cat felt so deeply that they wouldn't even lift a paw to help him.

_I don't want to.._.

He was calm, strangely calm, the complete opposite of his run from the border. Through glazed eyes he saw Tallstar, his shoulders hunched with the weight of the world as he stared, aghast at the ShadowClan leader. Runningbrook, pinned to the dirt because she'd tried to help him. Morningflower, beating uselessly at the barrier of cats, shrieking with grief and agony.

A glint of something, a claw, or fang, pausing and then flashing down.

He wondered--


	31. Darkstripe

**Why, hallo again... it's been a while... again. Erm, to skip over any excuses and such things that I would otherwise put here, here is the next chapter, Darkstripe! The 300th reviewer was Leafstripe, I think, and they requested Darkstripe. So, as their prize: Darkstripe! :D**

**(If you are, for some reason, a creative writer teacher reading this and thinking that it is remarkably similar to something a student submitted a few weeks ago... that's because I did submit it as the piece of the week. I didn't plagarize. But, hahaha, if anyone is thinking of copying this and submitting it as their own because of what I just said, please remember that I have both a hard copy original printing a few weeks ago, and the little submitted date thingy. Yay. Now, onward.)**

**---**

Hatred. It was all that Darkstripe knew, a smoldering ember buried within his heart that had ignited and rooted itself so deeply with his soul that it was thoroughly and utterly a part of him. Few cats were ever unfortunate enough to understand this hatred – oh, certainly there were the rivalries and border fights, but when Darkstripe allowed himself to look back and think about happier times, if they could be called that, he would realize just how naïve they all were. Those petty feuds were ludicrous, insignificant. No, only a whisker-breadth of cats knew the meaning of true hatred, and Darkstripe was one of them. There was no escaping it – as if he wanted to escape, to forget the hideous crimes inflicted upon him, to allow his tormentors to elude their punishment. It was only fair that he enforce justice upon them, that he allow his hatred to simmer and give him strength to continue with his life until, at last, he had ended Firestar's.

Part of him still hesitated to call it hatred; it was one of _those_ words, the ones that are used so often that they become as meaningless as a mouse tail. Words like that were laughed at; or worse, greeted with a knowing, condescending smile from cats who thought they knew better. Words like 'terror', 'fury', and most especially 'love'. This 'hatred' was so much one of these words that Darkstripe had at first barely dared to think it, all those countless moons ago. He could remember when he felt the first glimmer of it even now, watching with disbelief as a scrawny, worthless _kittypet_ stood upon the Highrock – the Highrock! The kittypet had been just Firepaw then, but he would change that soon enough, wouldn't he? And Darkstripe would watch as, moon after moon, Bluestar's beloved warrior would claw his ways through the ranks of the Clan, standing on the backs of the _real_ warriors who risked their life and limb for him and were content to let him take their glory. It was the most disgusting thing that Darkstripe had ever seen.

A growl trickled through his bared teeth, and, unable to remain still any longer, the dark-furred tom stood up and stalked out of his makeshift den. It was a pitiful den, nothing more than a pawful of stringy moss placed carelessly in a large gap between the roots of a sycamore tree. But it didn't matter. It only had to last for a single night – until the battle between Scourge and Firestar began.

He stumbled suddenly, and felt the rough brush of a root against his paws a moment before he tumbled to the ground. Snarling, Darkstripe staggered up and ripped his claws along the offending tree root, scoring a deep gash in the curling wood. He stood, glaring at it with narrowed eyes, as slowly, agonizingly, a tiny drop of sap welled up from the depths of the tree and oozed across the rutted bark, almost hidden in the darkness. Hissing with disdain, the tom whirled around and grumbled his way through the undergrowth. He didn't know where he was, and didn't really care. Somewhere in the no-cat's-land just beyond RiverClan territory, near WindClan. All that was important was that he would be able to get to Fourtrees by dawn.

Thin, silvery light dripped between the branches of the thinning forest, and Darkstripe noticed that the moon was touching the horizon. He had been stewing in his den for longer than he had thought. He quickly turned to the direction of sunrise, but there was no hint of the lemony hue that would mark the coming of the battle. The tom sniffed, irritated, and continued on his rambling path among the brush.

His matted fur caught on the edge of a briar and he yanked away, leaving a clump of gray fur among the thorns and a stinging pain on his flank. Darkstripe growled, barely restraining himself from launching at the prickly plant with claws outstretched. _I can't be injured now,_ he told himself._ Not for something as stupid as this. _No, he needed to be fully prepared to fight. Wandering into battle full of thorn-wounds would not help him achieve justice.

A rustling in the ferns caught his attention, and Darkstripe froze in mid step, one paw a mouse-length off the ground. He stood completely still as a tiny, whiskered nose twitched its way out of the leaves, followed by black, beady eyes and a bushy brown tail. The squirrel seemed to sense him just as he leaped, but his claws reached it before it was able to dive back into the bushes. He snapped its neck with his teeth, then, needing something to take out his frustration on, he tore apart the soft, brown body with his claws. He wasn't hungry anyway.

Darkstripe left the scarlet- soaked form on the ground, not bothering to bury it or even toss it away into the ferns. Eyes narrowed, he stalked off, unsheathed claws spattering red onto the dirt.

A rushing sound rose from in front of him, and he glimpsed a dark silver streak cut into the land. _The river_, he thought. Instinctively, he looked around for a WindClan or RiverClan patrol, although he knew that he was too upstream to be on the heavily guarded border. Not that a patrol could bother him. He knew that he was so full of adrenalin that he could defeat any warrior as pitiful as those he had last seen in the RiverClan camp. Those cats were broken by the death of their leader, doubtful of their own thoughts. Yes, Tigerstar's murder had deeply shaken the forest, but Darkstripe would not be like those who now sat with glassy-eyed stares. He would also not be one of those slinking cowards who joined BloodClan after watching ShadowClan driven out of their home. He would be ready to battle. That was all that mattered.

The tom stopped at the edge of the water and stared into the black depths. The river was narrow here, and the water rushed frantically along, creasing and folding upon itself. He saw his reflection, carved and distorted, on the surface, and he slashed at it with his paw. The muddy ground under his other front paw crumbled, and he staggered back, splattering freezing drops onto the earth.

It seemed as though hours had past, although it had probably been only half of one at the most. Darkstripe stared at the sky, willing it to lighten. He stood like that as the moon dropped farther and farther, finally disappearing entirely under the horizon, and fingers of pink began to creep, slowly, over the trees, and he allowed a wisp of a sneer as though the sun was really rising especially for him.

A weight seemed to lift from Darkstripe's paws, and he would almost have purred if he could remember how. He judged the width of the river, ran, and leaped, landing in the shallows on the far bank. He staggered out, no longer feeling the cold water seeping into his leg fur or the icy pebbles that lined the riverbank. He walked at a brisk pace as the trees slowly thinned out, and the rolling moorland of WindClan began.

Soon, now. Very soon.

He smelled Fourtrees before he saw it. It was blocked by the rising curve of a hill, but the intoxicating fear-scent of many, many cats was already strong. Yes, intoxicating. Already he could feel the power rushing through his veins, feeding the flames of his hatred. The tomcat breathed in again, and from behind the fear came the rotten, choking tang of BloodClan, curling disgustingly into the air. To Darkstripe, it smelled of victory. He would not join BloodClan, but today he would fight alongside them. They all shared his goal: kill Firestar.

Firestar. The named echoed mockingly in Darkstripe's mind, pounding out a headache that matched the beat of his heart. It drowned out the strange happiness that buzzed in his ears, and he made a guttural sound of contempt. Firestar. Firestar. Like a heartbeat of its own, but one that he knew would soon no longer be beating.

Darkstripe stopped as Fourtrees came into view over the moor. He didn't want to get too close, in case Scourge or Bone, or – StarClan forbid – one of Firestar's precious little LionClan warriors found him. _LionClan_. What kind of mousebrained name was that? It was blatant mockery of TigerClan, and Darkstripe could not stand for that.

The wind ruffled his fur, blowing from the side of RiverClan. That meant that Firestar's warriors would have their scent carried directly to BloodClan, who were hiding in the ShadowClan forest. Darkstripe hoped that that meant that the Twolegplace cats would be able to ambush LionClan. Kill them, even. He didn't really care what happened to the other cats, as long as he got to feel his own claws sink into Firestar's ginger fur.

A movement at Fourtrees made him stiffen, his entire body alert. Every hair prickled with dark excitement as he saw the cats of BloodClan begin to appear, their ragged fur and burning eyes shadowing the steadily lightening sky. Even from where his was, with the wind carrying the words away, he could hear Scourge speak.

"I know you're there! Come and give me your answer."

A heavy tension hung in the air as Firestar appeared and spoke, and Darkstripe narrowed his eyes, willing them to stop talking and begin fighting. What precious time they were wasting, pretending to negotiate when every cat knew that Firestar would never give up a scrap of the territory to BloodClan. It seemed like twenty forevers before Scourge bristled, leaped, and screamed, he voice suddenly deafening as the wind died down.

"_Attack_!"

The BloodClan cats surged forward, a wave of claws and the stench of crowfood. There were many, so many of them that Darkstripe could not see how LionClan could survive. But then he saw the cats, the forest cats, streaming forward to meet the wave, and he realized with a jolt of fury that not only RiverClan, but ShadowClan had joined Firestar as well.

_Rotting_ _traitors_! Darkstripe snarled and bounded forward, a streak of gray and black against the pale, windy hills. He would show them all, prove to them that vengeance would prevail. There was no other choice.

By the time the tom reached the edge of Fourtrees, the clearing had erupted into full-scale battle. He could see right away that this was no mere border scuffled; these cats were fighting to the death. And that was exactly what he intended to do as well.

Darkstripe lashed out, catching a BloodClan cat between the ears with unsheathed claws. She caterwauled and spun towards him, but he nipped her arm and shoved her away. She was unimportant to him. A ginger shape caught his eye, and he launched himself toward it, only to find himself face to face with Goldenflower. Her gaze filled with confusion, then pain as he slammed into her and pushed her against a BloodClan warrior. The warrior yowled and attacked Goldenflower, and Ashfur darted away, Goldenflower's claws scrabbling wildly in the air.

A black cat with fur like his own reared in front of him, and Darkstripe screeched as teeth met in his tail. He ripped his tail away from the other tom and attacked, all feeling of restraint burned out of his mind by his desire to kill. He landed on the black cat and pressed him into the grass, sinking his claws into the matted pelt.

The cat cried out, begging him to let go, but he couldn't hear. With a lunge, he tore open the warrior's throat, cutting off the pleading with a spurt of scarlet. Something wet tricked across his muzzle and he realized that his own forehead was bleeding, but he didn't care. He turned and barreled through writhing masses of cats as if they did not exist, leaving the warrior dead on the cold ground, his eyes seeking out the one figure that he needed to see.

_There_.

Near the base of the Great Rock stood the ginger orange tom, wounded but fighting fiercely, green eyes glinting with strength. The cat whose very name caused Darkstripe to recoil with disgust.

Firestar.

With a yowl, the tom threw himself forward. Firestar fought with a skinny gray she-cat, but even as he watched, the she-cat screamed and fled as claws caught her underbelly. A BloodClan tortoiseshell leaped for Firestar as the same moment that Darkstripe did, and he careened into her, sending her into the waiting claws of another cat.

For a heartbeat, Firestar looked up at him with gratitude and astonishment. Did the fool really think that Darkstripe was trying to save his life? Darkstripe growled and crouched, ready to attack. "You're mind, kittypet," he snarled. "It's time to die."

Firestar blinked at him, face darkening. "So now you're fighting on the side of Tigerstar's murderer? Have you _no_ loyalty in you?"

"Not anymore," hissed Darkstripe. "Every cat in the forest can turn to crowfood for all I care. All I want is to see you dead."

He launched himself towards the ginger tom. Firestar dodged to the side and Darkstripe swiped, expecting it. He hit Firestar on the head and the warrior slipped, yowling in protest, falling sprawled onto the blood-slick earth.

The Clan leader struggled up, but Darkstripe pinned him to the ground, eyes smoldering with furious excitement. He felt paws battering uselessly at his belly, and he sank his claws deeper into Firestar's flesh. The tom tried to screech for help, muscles tensing, as Darkstripe lunged for his neck, blinding victory coursing through every fiber of his body.

Suddenly a weight slammed into his flank and he shrieked, grasping for Firestar and finding nothing but thick, gray fur. A rank stench filled his mouth as he tried to twist away. "Graystripe!" he spat, baring his teeth. Utter hatred blurred his vision as he saw the cat who had prevented him from achieving justice, from completing the task that his entire life had been leading up to. Furiously he tried to reach Graystripe's throat, but he found himself trapped on the ground, underneath the paws of the dusky tom.

"Traitor!" Graystripe growled, yellow eyes slits of anger.

Darkstripe yowled and slashed at him, claws ripping grass from the dirt. "Fox dung!" he yelled. He had been so close, so close! And this mangy rat had torn him from his triumph when he had been but a whisker away!

With a final effort, Darkstripe thrust his body up, snapping his fangs together an inch from Graystripe's neck. The gray warrior stared down at him derisively as his head slammed back against the ground. Then, almost in slow motion, the claws met the fur of his throat.

Pain seared him, making it impossible to breathe, impossible to move. His chest heaved, shuddered, and his jaws gaped wide in a silent scream. He couldn't hear, couldn't see. Agony swallowed all his senses, and he convulsed, fire ripping up his body.

"There's nothing left," he gasped, not sure whether he was speaking out loud. Something filled his lungs, thick and warm and metallic, and he could feel himself drowning in his own body. Blackness filled his head, warm like the stuff in his lungs, yet somehow colder than the depths of any snowbank.

"It's all dark," he choked. "every… everything's gone." He tried to reach out, eyes wide and unseeing. _I...please… I…_

Another body on the bloodstained battlefield.


End file.
